# Anglerfish — Facts, Threats & Conservation

*Lophiiformes*

> The anglerfish is a deep-sea fish named for the glowing, fishing-rod-like lure that grows from its head and attracts prey in the darkness. The familiar deep-sea females have huge mouths and needle-like teeth, and their light comes from glowing bacteria living in the lure.

**IUCN status:** Least Concern  ·  **WARN range:** Oceans

## Quick facts
| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Lophiiformes (order) |
| Diet | Carnivore |
| Habitat | Deep ocean, often below 1,000 m |
| Lifespan | Estimated 10–30 years |
| Length | A few cm up to 1 m by species |
| Top speed | Slow; an ambush predator |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (most species) |

## Scientific classification
- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Actinopterygii
- **Order:** Lophiiformes

## Conservation status
- **Status:** Least Concern (IUCN Red List category)
- **Population:** Global population not compiled for this guide
- **Trend:** See the IUCN Red List assessment
- **Assessed:** See the IUCN Red List assessment
- **CITES:** See CITES appendices
- Conservation figures are drawn from the IUCN Red List and CITES; this guide links to the authoritative sources rather than restating population counts.

## Key facts: Anglerfish
- Deep-sea anglerfish have a modified spine that extends over the mouth and ends in a fleshy, glowing tip.
- Many anglerfish live in the cold, dark, high-pressure waters of the deep sea, where food is scarce.
- In several deep-sea species, males are tiny compared with the much larger females.

## The glowing lure
Deep-sea anglerfish have a modified spine that extends over the mouth and ends in a fleshy, glowing tip. The light is produced by symbiotic bacteria living inside the lure, an example of bioluminescence. By wiggling this lure in the dark, the anglerfish draws curious prey close to its waiting jaws.

## Built for the deep
Many anglerfish live in the cold, dark, high-pressure waters of the deep sea, where food is scarce. They have enormous mouths, expandable stomachs, and long, inward-curving teeth that let them swallow prey nearly as large as themselves. Slow metabolisms help them survive long gaps between meals.

## Extreme reproduction
In several deep-sea species, males are tiny compared with the much larger females. A male finds a female using smell, bites onto her body, and in some species permanently fuses to her, sharing her bloodstream and becoming little more than an attached source of sperm. This ensures a mate is always available in the vast, empty deep.

## Habitat and range
Anglerfish are found in oceans worldwide, with many of the famous lured species living far below the sunlit zone. Some relatives, such as the shallow-water monkfish, live on the seafloor and are caught for food. Because deep-sea species are so remote, most are not considered threatened.

## What WARN does
WARN does not run a dedicated anglerfish programme — this guide is part of the World Animal Rescue Network's free educational library. The anglerfish is currently widespread and not globally threatened, and this guide helps readers understand the pressures that can change that. Building public understanding of species like the anglerfish supports the broader conservation awareness that underpins WARN's partner-led rescue work across its network.

If clear, science-based wildlife guides like this help you understand and value animals, please consider supporting the World Animal Rescue Network's educational and rescue work so we can keep producing them.

## Frequently asked questions: Anglerfish
### Why does an anglerfish glow?
An anglerfish glows because of bioluminescent bacteria living in the lure on its head. The light attracts prey in the dark deep sea, drawing it close enough for the anglerfish to snap up.

### What does the anglerfish use its lure for?
The lure is a built-in fishing rod. By dangling and wiggling the glowing tip, the anglerfish entices curious prey toward its mouth, then ambushes it with a quick gulp.

### Do male and female anglerfish fuse together?
In some deep-sea species, yes. The much smaller male bites onto the female and can permanently fuse to her body, sharing her blood supply and serving as a lifelong source of sperm.

### Where do anglerfish live?
Many anglerfish live in the deep ocean, often well below 1,000 m where sunlight cannot reach, although some relatives live on the seafloor in shallower coastal waters.

### What do anglerfish eat?
Anglerfish are carnivores that eat fish and invertebrates. Their large mouths and expandable stomachs let them swallow prey nearly as big as themselves, an advantage where food is scarce.

### Are anglerfish dangerous?
Deep-sea anglerfish are not a threat to divers or swimmers. They are slow ambush predators of the deep ocean, often below 1,000 m, with enormous mouths and inward-curving teeth adapted to swallowing prey nearly as large as themselves where food is scarce.

### How long do anglerfish live?
Lifespan is estimated at 10–30 years according to this guide's quickFacts, with stats citing around 25 years. Because deep-sea species are remote, most are listed Least Concern, though precise longevity data remain limited.

### How big is an anglerfish?
Size varies by species from a few centimetres up to about 1 m. This guide's stats cite a typical length of 0.6 m and weight around 25 kg. Females of familiar deep-sea species are far larger than the tiny males that fuse to them.

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Anglerfish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglerfish)
- [Wikidata — Anglerfish](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q206948)

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Full guide: https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/anglerfish