What Kind of Fish Is the Viperfish? A Comprehensive Guide to This Fish
The viperfish is one of the fierce predators of the deep ocean, also known as the viper fish. It is a deep-sea fish of the genus Chauliodus in the family Stomiidae, named for its large teeth that protrude beyond both jaws like a viper's fangs. Its body has many photophores, which it uses to lure prey and hunt. Its mouth opens very wide, and its stomach is extremely elastic like rubber, so it can swallow prey as large as itself. At night it comes near the surface of the sea, and during the day it moves into the deep sea.
The viperfish is one of the most bizarre deep-sea fish. This grotesque-looking fish has very large teeth that its mouth cannot accommodate, so it can only leave them exposed, giving it a very frightening appearance. It swims very fast and can rush at prey at high speed, biting down firmly with its teeth, which sink deep into the prey's body like nails. Moreover, because the viperfish can open its mouth up to twice its normal size, and its stomach is extremely elastic, it can swallow prey as large as itself.
The viperfish is a carnivorous fish, and its food includes various small and medium-sized fish and crustaceans. Although the viperfish is not actually venomous, its hunting skills are superb. It usually lies in ambush motionless, using the photophores on its flanks and dorsal fin to attract prey to its side, then swiftly seizes the prey with its fangs. Because the viperfish's teeth curve backward, once prey is bitten it is very difficult to escape.
The viperfish generally appears in the water layer from 80 to 1600 m below the sea surface. Some are entirely black, with luminous organs growing on certain parts of the body, including a long dorsal fin used as a lure for hunting. Some species of viperfish (as well as many other deep-sea fish) do not contain any pigment components, so they appear “transparent”, and they also have large eyes to collect more light in the dark seabed, while the luminous organs produce a glowing effect through certain chemical processes.
The viperfish is a diel vertical migrator. During the day they stay at a depth of 1524 m, and at night they come to waters less than 609.6 m deep, where food is more abundant. In China it is distributed in the East China Sea and South China Sea; abroad it is found in Japan and in the deep-sea waters of the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans from tropical to temperate zones at depths of 76.2 to 1524 m.