Out of all those kinds of fishes, you've got a face with a view (and a flashlight). 🎵💡⁠ ⁠ MBARI researchers have observed the anglerfish, Chaunacops coloratus, on several seamounts off the Central California coast. This little anglerfish typically lurks in soft-sediment areas at the edges of lava flows. On the fish’s head is a light-colored “esca” that functions as a fishing lure.⁠ ⁠ One of the remarkable traits of all anglerfish is their ability to attract prey using parts of their bodies that function as lures. During one ROV dive, researchers watched an individual deploying its shaggy, mop-like lure (the esca), which it dangled from the end of a modified fin near the top of its head. After an unsuccessful attempt at attracting prey, the anglerfish then stowed its fishing gear away in a special cavity located between its eyes.⁠ ⁠ #MBARI #deepsea #sealife #mondaymood #talkingheads

Deep-sea ping pong ball, or tiny shrimp living inside a pod?🤔⁠ ⁠ This giant ostracod may look like a floating orange ping-pong ball, but it's actually a shrimp-like animal that swims by rowing its long, feathery antennae!⁠ ⁠ Ostracods are a class of crustaceans, sometimes known as seed shrimp. The deep-sea giant ostracod, Gigantocypris, is 30 times bigger than regular ostracods. Its body resembles a shrimp but is completely encased within a clamshell-like carapace. It lives in the midwater and is nearly neutrally buoyant. It swims by rowing its long, feathery antennae, which are also used for feeding. Its eyes are enormous and shaped like parabolic mirrors to help spot bioluminescent prey in the dark ocean depths. It broods its embryos inside the carapace until they are quite large and well-developed.⁠ ⁠ Watch these tiny deep-sea critters swimming on our YouTube channel (link in bio).⁠ ⁠ #MBARI #deepsea #sealife #sundaymorning #guesswho