There are many predators on the planet, including among fish. The black dragon, whose photo can be viewed in this article, is striking in its ferocity. These fish, although small, but very rare. It is not so easy to meet them, because they dwell in the water column at a depth of up to two kilometers. They began to study them not very long ago, since earlier equipment did not allow it.
Where dwells
The black dragon is a deep-sea species, it is found in the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans. This fish is from the Idiakant family. It is adapted to inhabit the bottom of the oceans. These dragons live at a depth of 1000 to 2000 meters. This predator has several varieties, but they are all similar in appearance.
What does a black dragon look like?
The fish got its name for its charcoal black color and very sharp teeth. Her body is long and narrow. The scales of the Black Dragon are absent as such. Despite their small size, they are very ferocious predators. Their average length is 16 cm, the maximum is 50-60 cm. These little dragons, although small, are very aggressive.
Under the eyes of the dragon there is a small source of red light. It perfectly illuminates the fish path, and at the same time remains invisible to many inland inhabitants. It is simply that the eyes of the latter are incapable of picking up this radiation.
These fish have a rather large head and mouth with sharp teeth. There is a long mustache on the chin, and on its tip there is a “fishing lure” - photophore. The dragon, seeing the victim, begins to swing and blink. She, unaware of the predator, calmly swims up and finds herself in the mouth. The whole body of the males of the Black Dragon is also strewn with photophores, with which he attracts the female during the mating period.
Why do fish glow
Many deep-sea inhabitants use bioluminescence, the Black Dragon fish is no exception. Simply put, they have a special organ called a photophore. It is thanks to him that light is produced. Thanks to photophore, they not only lure prey and mate, but also use it to communicate with other inhabitants of the underwater depths.
Male dragons
They are significantly different from females. Fish The black dragon, a male, has very few teeth. In addition, the size of the latter is half that of females. They do not have a characteristic antennae on their heads. But the photophore, which occupies a third of the head, is perfectly developed. Reaching puberty, the males practically stop eating, their intestines begin to atrophy, and they simply drift in the water. At this moment, they are only doing what they are trying to attract females to mating. After a successful “marriage”, male individuals live only two weeks and die.
Black Dragon Fish: Females
They are not only much larger than males, but can even grow up to half a meter. Females are considered to be predators, because they have jaws planted with crooked sharp teeth. The fangs are so large that the jaw of the fish does not close. Violet and golden photophores are also scattered throughout the body of the females. Their lifestyle is also different. In the afternoon they stick to the depths. And with the onset of darkness, unlike males, they rise closer to the surface in search of food. Due to the structure of the jaw and the very elastic and well-stretched stomach, they can even swallow whole fish much more than themselves.
