Deep sea hatchetfish Facts
Deep sea hatchetfish Facts
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| Interesting Deep sea hatchetfish Facts: |
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| Size of deep sea hatchetfish varies among different species. Largest species, known as giant hatchetfish, can reach 6 inches in length. |
| Color of deep sea hatchetfish also depends on the species. Body of smaller hatchetfish is usually covered with silver scales. Larger species can be green or brown in color. |
| Deep sea hatchetfish is named because of unique shape of the body that looks like a hatchet. "Deep sea" means that this fish prefers life on great depths. |
| Deep sea hatchetfish has flat body with large, tubular eyes that are pointing upwards. |
| Deep sea hatchetfish lives on great depth with minimal amount of light. Because of that, their eyes are adapted to recognize even the slightest shadows in the water. |
| Position of their eyes enables them to see the prey coming from above. |
| Deep sea hatchetfish eats plankton, crustaceans and tiny fish. They swim toward the surface of the water to find food. Feeding takes place during the night. Prey can be easily identified thanks to light-sensitive eyes. |
| Deep sea hatchetfish is able to jump out of the water. It can catch small insects, such as mosquitoes and flies, during the jumps. |
| Deep sea hatchetfish spends day hidden on the bottom of the ocean. |
| Another unique feature of deep sea hatchetfish is ability to produce light. This phenomenon is called bioluminescence. Light is produced in cells that are known as photophores. These cells are located along the length of the fish body. |
| Light in the cells is produced via chemical reaction. Since photophores are positioned downwards, produced light will be oriented toward the bottom of the ocean. |
| Deep sea hatchetfish uses light to "escape" from the predators. Hatchetfish can produce light that will have the same intensity like the faint light that is coming from above. This way, hatchetfish may look almost invisible to the predator. |
| Scientists also believe that deep sea hatchetfish uses bioluminescence in mating rituals. Because of the life on great depths (that are unreachable for scientists), this theory still has not been confirmed. |
| What is known about deep sea hatchetfish reproduction is that they are able to release large amount of small, buoyant eggs. |
| Deep sea hatchetfish does not have a long lifespan. It lives less than a year. |
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