Discover the Largest Anglerfish Ever Caught

Anglerfish are unique natural predators that come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Some anglerfish live in shallow water, while most prefer dark deep-sea environments. They can also get very big. Few anglers in the world have been lucky enough to spot these interesting fish. Keep reading to discover the largest anglerfish ever caught in the world, along with other intriguing facts about this strange-looking creature.

About Anglerfish

There are over 200 species of anglerfish, all with unique behaviors and appearances. They are spread across 11 families and can be found all over the world. There are shallow-water anglerfish, but most species are deep-sea anglerfish, lurking 1,000 meters below sea level.

Size and Description

Their appearance and size vary, based on specific type. For example, humpback anglerfish resemble black sea devils. They have angry-looking faces and crescent-shaped mouths. Their heads are larger than the rest of their bodies, and their skin is dark brown to greyish black. These anglerfish also have translucent teeth. Interestingly, females are a lot larger than males. Females can grow up to 18 cm, while males stop growing at 2.9 cm.

Handfish, in contrast, are anglerfish that are part of the family Brachionichthyidae. Unlike other fish, they walk on the sea floor instead of swimming! These fish are colorful and also known as “warty anglers” for their tooth-like scales. Handfish grow up to 15 cm and have modified pectoral fins that look like hands. One of the most common handfish is the red handfish, which has a red and pink body.

Monkfish, another common anglerfish, have wide mouths and flat bodies. They are easy to distinguish because of their unique appearance. Monkfish are brown with marbling, which helps them blend into the sea floor. They grow larger than most anglerfish, sometimes reaching lengths up to 78.8 inches. They can weigh up to 126 pounds.

Diet

Anglerfish are carnivores. They aren’t picky eaters, and their diets change depending on where they live. However, most anglerfish consume shrimp, snails, otters, and small fish. Humpback anglerfish occasionally eat small sea birds, but it’s not common. Deep-sea anglerfish eat anything that lives at the bottom of the sea.

Behavior

These fish have interesting behaviors, which they use to protect themselves from predators and swiftly attack prey. For instance, deep-sea anglerfish conserve their energy with lethargic behavior. One scientist observed a female anglerfish drifting passively for a full 24 minutes.

When hunting for prey, anglerfish use their illicium, a long filament attached to their heads, and their esca, to entice prey. Some deep-sea anglerfish produce light from their esca, which they move like a wiggling fish to attract prey. Once their prey is close enough, anglerfish extend their jaw and body to consume it. Because of this ability to “unhinge” their jaw, they can easily eat prey two times their size!

Predators

Anglerfish aren’t targeted by many animals since they live in the deep sea. However, anglerfish have been found in the stomachs of Antarctic toothfish. Humans are the main predator of anglerfish. This fish is consumed in some parts of the world, including Japan where every part is eaten, except for the head and the bones.

The Largest Anglerfish Ever Caught in the World

While looking for anglerfish is intriguing to some fishermen, it’s not very common. They aren’t easy to catch, especially the ones that live in the deep sea. There is still a lot that scientists don’t know about deep-sea anglerfish and only a few have been recorded or sighted.

The largest anglerfish caught in the world weighed 126 pounds and 6 ounces. Gunnar Thorsteinsen earned the angler all-tackle world record on July 4, 1994. He caught this massive anglerfish in Sagnefiorden in Høyanger, Norway. Although some people have gotten close to the record, no one has surpassed it. For instance, the largest anglerfish in the UK weighed 94 pounds, while the largest shore caught angler was 68 pounds.

Where Is Høyanger Located on a Map?

Høyanger is a municipality situated in Vestland county in the traditional district of Sogn in Norway. Villages in Høyanger include Bjordal, Vadheim, Lavik, Austreim, Kyrkjebø, and Ortnevik. It is north of Bergen and northwest of Oslo.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Neil Bromhall/Shutterstock.com