User:Abut77/Leafvent Anglerfish

Haplophryne mollis http://www.animalpicturesarchive.com/ArchOLD-6/1187244804.jpg
 * regnum = Animalia
 * phylum = Chordata
 * classis = Actinopterygii
 * subclassis = Elasmobranchii
 * familia = Linophrynidae
 * genus = Haplophrine
 * species = H.mollis
 * binomial = Haplophryne molliss

The Leafvent angler is a relatively small species of semi-transparent Anglerfish. Like in all other species, the males are about an 8th smaller than the female. Leafvent males mature at about 3 centimetres (1 1/4 inches). Females are far larger, reaching up to a max length of about 25 centimetres (9 1/2 inches). It lives at depths of up to 2000 metres (7000 ft)

Appearance
In the dark ocean depths lives the slow-moving, semi-transparent Leafvent anglerfish. The average male is 3 centimetres (1 1/4 inches) and the female is around 20-25 centimetres (8 - 9 1/2 inches).

Like all Anglerfish, the females forehead is fitted with a bony extension. This extension hosts a pulsating, bioluminescent sphere of bacteria known as a lure. Most other creatures in the deep sea have some form of bioluminescense, so, to a hunting fish (E.G Squid), this flash looks like a small, rather tasty fish. This lures the hunter to the toothy jaw of the Angler, and it is fish food.

The Leafvent angler is a small fish with small black eyes. it has small fins and a lure on its forehead, and has a shade of orange down the rear of ots spine.

Related species
The Leafvent angler is closely related to all of these anglerfishes: Deep sea angler Ceratias holbolli Wolftrap angler Thaumatichthys binghami Humpback angler Melanocetus johnsonii

Mating
Finding a mate in the vast, empty depths of the deep is a tricky process. Anglerfish have developed a solution to this problem. When a male encounters a female, he bites at her belly with specially designed teeth. This goes on until the male is completely fused to the female. The male may be called a parasite, because he lives on the females body, but, in fact, he is meant to be there. The females blood circulating in his body provides him with enough food to keep him alive. The female recieves an endless supply of sperm to aid her eggs. Before long, the males fins have dissapeared completely, leaving him dangling like an extra testis.