The Pacific Viperfish is a small fish that lurks in the deep water of the oceans but has been known to swim closer to the water’s surface at night. They usually grow to be around 25 centimeters, or about 10 inches, long and their silvery blue bodies resemble that of a snake (Marine Education Society of Australasia). Though it is small, the Pacific Viperfish has a large head and eyes for its body, and has extremely long, sharp teeth! Its teeth are so long that if the viperfish swam with its mouth closed, it could poke out its own eyes!
According to Lamia Ghoneim, the Pacific Viperfish has a crazy diet - mainly consisting of plankton, shrimp, small fish, and can even eat larger fish because it has such strong jaw muscles! In order to get close to its prey, the viperfish’s back, mouth, and fins are covered in photophores. Photophores are bioluminescent bacteria that are very colorful and can glow in the dark, attracting other sea creatures to the aggressive fish. Its fangs are transparent, meaning that other fish struggle to see the sharp teeth, and the viperfish’s mouth becomes a trap.
While the Pacific Viperfish is known to be one of the most ferocious predators of the deep sea, sharks and some species of dolphins do not find them quite as scary and eat them often. The viperfish is rarely seen by people, although are sometimes caught while deep sea fishing. Little is known about the Pacific Viperfish and their reproductive habits but some researchers believe that “the female releases eggs into the water to be fertilized. Spawning probably occurs throughout the year, although the numbers of young larvae have been discovered to be highest between January and March” (Marine Education Society of Australasia). When they are young, the viperfish are expected to fend for themselves - a fact I found extremely surprising. Most researchers believe that the average lifespan of a Pacific Viperfish is between 15 and 30 years! Though these mysterious fish are small, their qualities make them truly fascinating!
Educational Questions
About how long is a normal Pacific Viperfish?
What color is a Viperfish?
What makes these fish glow in the dark and attract their prey?
What animals eat these fish?
How long is the average lifespan of a Pacific Viperfish?
What did you find surprising?
What did you find fascinating?
Resources
Ghoneim, L. (2018, June 26). Monsters of the Ocean: The Grotesque Pacific
Viperfish. Retrieved May 20, 2020, from
https://www.bibalex.org/SCIplanet/en/Article/Details?id=12383
Viper Fish. (n.d.). Retrieved May 20, 2020, from http://www.mesa.edu.au/AtoZ/Viper_fish.asp
