The “grumpy goosefish” (Lophiodes beroe), not an official common name, is an angler fish that prefers to live among Lophelia coral rubble, at very dimly lit depths. With its disruptive camouflage of spots, blotches, and leafy fringes around the belly, the goosefish hides motionless on the seafloor. Mostly head and belly, this fish is a sit-and-wait stealth predator. It rarely swims or chases prey. Instead, it uses a fishing lure to attract fishes and shrimps. Two very long dorsal fin rays sprout from between its eyes. When it’s hungry, it dangles one or both of these fishing poles in front of its enormous jaws, which are equipped with hundreds of long sharp teeth. This deep-sea angler has one of the fastest strike motions of any fish. Small fish that get too close do so at their own peril.

Text contributed by Ken Sulak, Ph.D., U.S. Geological Survey (retired)