HOME | DD

Giant Netdevil — Description
Done for my Ecology of Water class! We had to describe a fictional aquatic creature and illustrate it.

This is the Giant Netdevil - Linophryne Yggdrasilifera

Description: Relative to the smaller Linophryne arborifera, the Giant Netdevil is a notably large anglerfish that can grow up to 5 feet in length (female). Their large filaments (often comprising over a third of the fish’s mass) are designed to imitate seaweeds that are often home to several smaller species of fish. Their bodies are elongated, with their lower jaw protruding much further than the upper. They are a dull brown color. Both the upper and lower jaw are lined with very sharp, inward-pointing teeth. Their bodies are quite bony, leaving a gaunt and angled impression. Their eyes are small, forward-facing, and a dull grey color. Fins are thin, ribbed, and mostly transparent. Males are much smaller, only a few inches in length, and resemble small guppies that cling to the bellies of females as parasites.

Size: Adults females are 3 - 5 feet in length. Males are much smaller, reaching only 2-6 inches. Males are technically not predators, but rather live parasitically off the females.

Range and Habitat: Found across the tropical and subtropical oceans in aphotic zones below 3,500 feet, some as deep as 8,000 feet. Most sightings in the western hemisphere.