Most of us are familiar with many of the fish
and other creatures that inhabit the sun light waters of the worlds oceans.
The sun however only lights a small fraction of these waters. What do we
know about the creatures that live in the darkness of the sea? Our group has
chosen to research the Deep Sea Viperfish in order to learn more about it
and the waters in which it lives.
The Deep Sea Viperfish is an animal
that lives in the oceans down 260 to 5200 feet. The Viperfish has a blue and
silver body. It makes it’s own light with a process called bioluminescence. The
sides of the body are covered with hexagonal pigmented areas, each with one or
more small photospheres (the light producing organs). The Viperfish can average
12 in, but can grow up to two feet.
During the night the Viperfish come up
to the surface, but in the day they go down to the bottom of the ocean at about
2,500m. During the night they come up to the surface because there is more to
eat. A specimen is collected at a deep of 275m in the Western Solomon Sea near
Papua New Guinea.
The Viperfish has 350 tiny light
organs in its mouth and fins which are believed to attract pray. It has needle
sharp teeth to stab other fish. It also has moveable teeth inside its throat to
pull fish into its stomach. The Viperfish also uses its fishing line like string
on top of its head to lure fish. The Viperfish has a stomach that can stretch to
swallow pray larger than itself. They are one of the fiercest predators of the
deep.
Viperfish have four red glowing spots that only other Viperfish can see. It got
Its name from its snake-like body and needle sharp fangs.
As you can see, the Viperfish is quite
a fascinating creature. Its unique features made us appreciate it and all of the
other creatures that live blow the sun lit waters of the world. It seems that
the more we know and learn about The Deep Sea Viperfish the more questions we
have concerning it and the other creatures of the deep. Mans interests and
research of these creatures has just begun.
