Goblin fish

goblin fish

Today we are going to talk about a fish that is quite curious for its characteristics that is worth seeing in order to appreciate all its quality. His strange body and particular appearance makes him quite special. Its about goblin fish. It belongs to the Opisthoproctidae family and its scientific name is Macropinna microstoma. Surely when you know more about him you will be completely surprised both by his characteristics and the way he lives.

Do you want to unravel all the secrets of the goblin fish? In this article we show you everything, so read on to find out.

Key features

Characteristics of the goblin fish

It is also known by the name of head fish thanks to its peculiar shape. The head is shaped like a transparent dome since it is filled with a transparent liquid. If you look closely you can see all its internal part. Namely, we can see his eyes, brain and all the nerve endings that make up his head. The rest of its body is quite common to the rest of the other fish.

It is composed of a type of quite long and V-shaped scales. Regarding its color, it is magenta gray with a tail that is also transparent as the head. However, from the tail we cannot see its internal organs since it is not completely transparent, but more translucent. It is as if we wanted to see through a glass that has been under water for a while and we find it on the shore of the beach.

The mouth is quite small as it is used to eating smaller prey. Its evolutionary process it has not developed a larger mouth since it does not need it. The pectoral fins are in a lower area on the sides. They are quite long and flat and thanks to them they can stay still for quite a long time. This ability uses it to stalk its prey with great stealth before eating them. Once it has detected its food near it, it rushes against it at high speed using its pectoral fins.

Although transparent, it does not mean that its head is exposed to its predators. On the contrary, on its head it has a shield that allows it to withstand the poison that the jellyfish give off. This is because it is their food and it has developed this shield to protect itself from them.

Unique eyes

unique eyes of the goblin fish

Unlike many other fish that swim in the sea, the goblin fish does not have a swim bladder. This allows you to swim to greater depths without being damaged by water pressure. We find a fish of approximately 15 cm in length, although some specimens have been found with up to 20 cm in length.

At first glance, one can be confused when looking at his head, since two black holes are visible. However, this is not so. It is about its olfactory organs with which it is able to capture the position and distance of its prey.

The eyes are what really attract unlike other fish. And it is that they are similar to two green tubes placed inside your skull that, being transparent, allows you to visualize what is around you with total quality. Not only are they unique and special eyes, but it is capable of moving all tubular organs in any direction. In this way, the goblin fish does not have dead spots when analyzing the terrain where it is swimming. It serves both to attack its prey and to defend itself from predators.

Other fish with tubulars do not have this width of vision since their skulls are not transparent. A curious fact about this species is that You can see three-dimensionally in the space you are in.

Behavior, habitat and distribution of the goblin fish

goblin fish habitat

These fish are solitary most of the time. They are not very active, but are in the same position most of the day waiting for their prey to pass. The fact of not moving gives it the ability to go unnoticed so as not to attract the attention of its prey and wait for the perfect moment to attack. When standing in the water, his body is horizontal, but his eyes are looking up. This allows you to have a broader view of what is on you and to be prepared for the pursuit of your predator.

Its area of ​​distribution is quite wide. We can find it in places from the Pacific Ocean, in addition to the Atlantic and Indian. The areas where they are less frequently found are in the Bering Sea, Baja California, the United States and Mexico.

Its natural habitat is in deeper areas thanks to the absence of a swim bladder. The most stable home is found in the mesopelagic zone between 200 and 1000 meters deep. If the food is abundant, we can find it at depths of 600 meters in general. It bears some resemblance and often shares habitat with the drop fish. The characteristic they share in common is the ability to deform their body to adapt to changes in pressure from the water around them.

Reproduction and feeding of Macropinna microstoma

reproduction and feeding of the goblin fish

Of the reproduction there is not much information. What is known is that they reproduce the same as surgeon fish. Has no sexual dimorphism, so it is very difficult to differentiate males from females. Their reproduction is oviparous and fertilization is believed to take place in a dispersive manner. That is, the female lays the eggs and the male fertilizes them with his sperm.

The eggs are covered with a drop of oil that allows them to float under cover until they hatch. Once they are born, they go to deeper waters.

With regard to diet, it is not well known what it is that you eat. But it can be deduced that their main foods are jellyfish of which it is protected and small fish, according to its mouth.

I hope that thanks to this information you can get to know the goblin fish better.


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  1.   Hugo said

    Hello
    The goblin fish has been very cool.???