Lophiiformes It is an order of fish that inhabit mainly the abyssal depths of the oceans. They have a fearsome appearance, with a large mouth, in which sharp teeth can be seen. Its size is varied, being able to reach a length of more than 1 meter and a half and a weight of more than 30 kilograms.
They are an order of fish that, in many respects, remain unknown to specialists. This is because the place where they live makes them practically inaccessible.
That is why every day more people try to elucidate aspects related to these fish, which are considered one of the most enigmatic members of the animal kingdom due to their extraordinary characteristics..
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The taxonomic classification of Lophiiformes is as follows:
-Domain: Eukarya
-Animalia Kingdom
-Class: Actinopterygii
-Subclass: Neopterygii
-Infraclass: Teleostei
-Superorder: Paracanthopterygii
-Order: Lophiiformes
The Lophiiformes are an order of fish that, like all members of the animal kingdom, are multicellular eukaryotes. This means that in your cells, the genetic material is organized within the nucleus, forming the chromosomes. Likewise, they are multicellular because they are made up of several different types of cells, each with specific functions..
During its embryonic development, it can be observed that the three germ layers are present, known as mesoderm, endoderm and ectoderm. The cells in these layers specialize and differentiate into various types of cells, thus forming the internal organs of the animal..
They are also deuterostomized, since in their development, the anus is formed from a structure known as the blastopore, while the mouth is formed secondarily elsewhere. Likewise, they are coelomed, presenting a kind of internal cavity in which some of their internal organs can be found..
They reproduce in a sexual way, with internal fertilization, since it occurs inside the body of the female and they present an indirect development because larvae emerge from the eggs that must undergo certain transformations until they become an adult individual..
Lophiiformes are heterotrophic organisms that feed primarily on other fish, making them predatory carnivores. They are very efficient hunters in the abysses in which they live, so, despite the fact that it is a place where there is naturally little availability of food, they manage to subsist efficiently..
These are fish that have a particular morphology. They are dark in color, either brown or black. This helps them to blend in with the environment..
They have a flattened body and a head that is quite wide. Sometimes the head looks disproportionate to the trunk. As it gets closer to the tail, the body becomes narrower.
His mouth occupies a large part of his head. It is quite wide and has a crescent shape. In it you can see its teeth, which are quite sharp and are oriented towards the interior of the oral cavity.
The element that perhaps best represents these fish is an appendage that comes out directly from their head, like a kind of "antenna", which at its distal end shows bioluminescence. This structure is of great importance in the process of capturing prey, since it attracts them.
The reproduction process of Lophiiformes is one of the most curious in the animal kingdom. It was difficult for scientists to elucidate the process itself, since, as is known, these animals live in places that are practically inaccessible, which has made access to them difficult.
Despite this, thanks to the specimens that have been recovered, it has been possible to establish without a doubt what reproduction is like in these fish.
It is important to note that in these animals, sexual dimorphism is more than marked. The specimens of adult animals that have been recovered have all been female, with one characteristic in common: they presented on their surface a type of parasites strongly adhering to it..
After numerous studies, it was determined that these small parasites are actually the male specimens of this species of fish.
What happens in the reproduction process is the following: when males are born, they do not have a digestive system, but they do have a highly developed sense of smell to capture any type of chemical signal in the environment. Thanks to the fact that the females leave a trail of pheromones, the males are able to identify them, to later fixate on them.
Once this happens, the body of males undergoes a process of involution, atrophying, leaving only their gonads functional. In these the semen will be stored until the moment of mating arrives..
When this moment arrives, a series of changes occur in the female's body that trigger chemical signals, which are captured by the gonads of the remaining male for the fertilization process to occur..
After fertilization occurs, the eggs, each in its own cavity, are held together by a gelatinous material that can be large, reaching measurements of up to several meters. They are expelled to the sea, where after the required time they hatch, releasing the larvae that move freely through the environment..
Importantly, this type of reproduction is designed to ensure that fish of this order can actually reproduce and continue to survive. All this taking into account the hostile environment in which they work, in which the environmental conditions do not allow great courtship rituals..
Thus, the male organism is equipped to be able to attach itself to the female's body. Among these adaptations is the segregation of certain chemical substances whose function is to overcome the barrier that the female's skin supposes, which is dissolved, allowing the male to fully fuse with her and thus becoming a parasite..
Fish belonging to this order are heterotrophs, so they must feed on other living things. In this sense, these fish are highly efficient predators, as they have specific mechanisms to capture their prey..
This must be so because in the environment in which these fish live, biodiversity is scarce, so there are few prey. Based on this, the animals there must be attentive and ready to capture and thus feed on any potential prey..
The main mechanism to attract prey is a kind of appendage in the center of the head, which has one end that is bioluminescent. The function of this structure is to attract other fish that may be in the ecosystem in which these fish live..
Because Lophiiformes fish are dark and opaque in color, they blend perfectly with the dark environment, so they are not perceived by prey until they are very close and it is impossible for them to escape..
When the prey is very close, the animal is able to swallow it quickly with an unexpected movement that surprises it. These fish are endowed with a very flexible mouth that can be opened widely, allowing it to ingest prey larger and longer than it..
Some species of these fish remain buried in the seabed, waiting for the prey to approach attracted by its appendix and thus be able to capture them..
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