Fast Facts Maximum size: 30 centimeters 12 inches Depth: —1, meters —5, feet Habitat: midwater Range: northern Pacific Ocean Diet: small crustaceans, chaetognaths, and small fishes. Research publications.
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It is usually dark silvery blue in color, but its coloration can vary from green to silver or black. Although the main light organ is located at the end of the elongated dorsal fin ray, there are also several photophores located all along the side of the fish. These may help to camouflage the fish from predators lurking below. These lights make its bottom side appear to blend in with the extremely faint light filtering down from above.
They may also serve to attract prey and communicate with potential mates or rivals. The unusually large teeth of the viperfish help it to grab hold of its prey at it hunts in the darkness. Viperfish have been observed hanging motionless in the water, waving their lures over their heads like a fishing pole to attract their meals. They have a hinged skull, which can be rotated up for swallowing unusually large prey.
They also have very large stomachs that allow them to stock up on food whenever it is plentiful. Viperfish feed primarily on crustaceans and small fish. Like many deep-sea creatures, they are known to migrate vertically throughout the day. During daytime hours they are usually found in deep water down to 5, feet 1, meters. At night they travel up to shallower waters at depths of less than 2, feet meters where food is more plentiful. Viperfish have a very low basal metabolic rate, which means they can go for days without food.
This adaptation is likely a result of the scarce nature of food in the deep sea. Viperfish are known to be preyed upon by sharks and some species of dolphin. Because of the extreme depths at which they are found, very little is known about the reproductive habits of the viperfish. It is believed that they are external spawners, meaning 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.
These larvae are approximately six millimeters long approximately a quarter of an inch when they hatch. They are left to fend for themselves until they can reach maturity. Not much is known about the life span of the viperfish, but most researchers think they live between 15 and 30 years. In captivity, they rarely live longer than a few hours.
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