Renowned as the ugliest fish on Earth, the Angler fish, also known as the monkfish is a lone, bottom dweller, living up to a mile under the surface on a sandy base. A poor swimmer, its fins have evolved to act like 'feet', enabling it to 'walk' on the sea-bed. They are usually the bycatch of trawling for other fish.They feed on cod, mackerel, herring and sand-eels, swallowing its prey whole. Occasionally they come to the surface.The anterior of its huge, flat, broad head is encircled by a large mouth, armed with rows of long, pointed, inwardly inclined teeth. Its head and body is adorned with long, seaweed like filaments. This, coupled with its ability to change colour, provides excellent camouflage. With a chocolate-brown back and a whitish belly, weights average 7kg and measure up to 100cm. Only the tail meat is consumed.
- Locations:
- Achill Head, Bill's Rock
- Latin:
- Lophius piscatorius
- Irish:
- Bráthair
Photo source: www.fishbase.org - Svensen, Rudolf - 27.03.02