As someone who enjoys a day on the water fishing, I have to give a tip of the hat to the various anglerfishes (a.k.a. frogfishes) of the family Antennariidae. These incredibly cryptic fishes make us human anglers look like rank amateurs. After all, to pursue our fishing passion, we have to purchase rods, reels, line, sinkers, swivels, and all manner of baits and lures. Anglerfishes, on the other hand, have all the fishing tackle they need attached directly to their body—and they don’t even need a license! Built-in gear So what type of fishing “tackle” do antennariid anglers possess? Most are equipped with a modified first dorsal spine, known as the illicium, which functions as a fishing rod. Attached to the end of the illicium is a fleshy lure, called the esca. When not in feeding mode, this built-in fishing pole lies flat against the angler’s body, but when a potential prey item comes into view, the angler will raise its illicium and begin to “cast” its bait in hopes of luring the prey animal close enough to gulp it down More: The Fantastic Fishing Gear of Antennariid Anglerfishes… More:
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