Triplewart seadevil

The triplewart seadevil (Cryptopsaras couesii) is a species of anglerfish in the family Ceratiidae. It is the only species of the genus Cryptopsaras.

Description

Physical appearance

Female triplewart seadevils have a long body.^[1]^[2] It has a bioluminescent organ, the esca, on its head. Adult females have jet-black skin while juveniles are dark brown.^[3]

Female Cryptopsaras couesii

Sexual dimorphism

Triplewart seadevils exhibit extreme sexual dimorphism, where males parasitize females.^[4]

References

[1] "Records of deep-sea anglerfishes (Lophiiformes: Ceratioidei) from Indonesia, with descriptions of three new species. Zootaxa".

[2] "The Occurrence of the Deep-Sea Anglerfish, Cryptopsaras couesii, in Monterey Bay, California. Copeia".

[3] "On the species composition and the distribution of Ceratiid anglers (Ceratiidae) in Russian and adjacent waters. Journal of Ichthyology".

[4] "Dimorphism, parasitism, and sex revisited: modes of reproduction among deep-sea ceratioid anglerfishes (Teleostei: Lophiiformes). Ichthyological Research".

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