New Marine Species, Dragonfish Eats Lanternfish

An anonymous reader writes "A new species of dragonfish has been discovered which adds to the Earth's biological census of around 28,000 distinct vertebrates. Found by Dr. Tracey Sutton, a fish ecologist at the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution in Ft. Pierce, Fla, the dragonfish's home is the Bear Seamount region off New England-- surprisingly one of the most thoroughly studied marine regions on the planet since it is nearby Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. This rare fish apparently escaped previous discovery because it has some survival disadvantages: it is the size of a hotdog, eats lanternfish using a fleshy lure like a fishing pole, and individualizes that same predatory lure to catch its mate. What apparently the dragonfish has to improve its survival chances are a camouflaging glow (bioluminescence) when seen by lanternfish from below against the sun's glare-- and real big teeth."

Comments

Disadvantages?

[jmpoast]

"...it has some survival disadvantages: it is the size of a hotdog, eats lanternfish using a fleshy lure like a fishing pole..."

I don't see how you conclude these are disadvantages. I actually think the 'fleshy lure like fishing pole' is a quite interesting adaptation to help them survive and catch prey.

I also find it interesting that a great deal of 'alien' creatures used in books/movies are no more (and often far less) interesting than some of the bizare creatures you can find on Earth.