Skip to content
CivicMapleEveryday answers, clearly mapped.
Nature

Angler Fish

What is angler fish?

· Emily Grant

Key facts

Order Lophiiformes[1]
Type Marine ray-finned fish[2]
Species count About 210 species[2]
Lure Modified dorsal-fin ray[1]
Habitat Mostly sea bottom[2]

Angler fish are marine ray-finned fish in the order Lophiiformes, known for a modified dorsal-fin ray used as a lure to attract prey. There are about 210 species, most living on the sea bottom. They are often confused with monkfish, angler, or goosefish.

Context

Angler fish are marine ray-finned fish in the order Lophiiformes, known for a modified dorsal-fin ray used as a lure to attract prey [1]. There are about 210 species, and the group is commonly called anglerfish because of this fishing-like method of predation [2]. They are characterized by a luring apparatus and small gill openings, and most species inhabit the sea bottom [2]. Britannica divides them into four groups: batfish, goosefish, frogfish, and deep-sea angler [2]. Some sources describe an esca at the tip of the illicium used to attract prey [4]. Angler fish are often confused with monkfish, angler, or goosefish [3]. They are distinct from wolf fish and cod, which are different marine species.

Documented claims

  • Angler fish use a fishing-rod-like appendage to attract prey. [2]
  • Britannica divides anglerfish into four groups: batfish, goosefish, frogfish, and deep-sea angler. [2]

Related

Barreleye FishBoth are deep-sea fish with unusual adaptations.Betta FishBoth are fish species commonly discussed in aquariums and nature contexts.

Questions and answers

What's the most bizarre fact about anglerfish?

The most bizarre fact is their fishing-like method: a modified dorsal-fin ray acts as a lure to attract prey [1].

Can you eat angler fish?

Angler fish are often confused with monkfish, which is edible, but the sources do not specify whether angler fish themselves are eaten [3].

Do angler fish still exist?

Yes, there are about 210 species of anglerfish today [2].

How does an angler fish get its light?

Some sources describe an esca at the tip of the illicium used to attract prey, but the sources do not explain how the light is produced [4].

Sources

  1. Creature feature: Anglerfish — whoi.edu (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  2. Anglerfish, facts and photos — nationalgeographic.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  3. What is an Anglerfish? | Facts for Kids — twinkl.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  4. Anglerfish Fact Sheet — namepa-website-media.s3.amazonaws.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)

Sources last checked August 3, 2026. · More in Nature