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Lancetfish. Credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
One of the creatures of the deep that you might not want to meet face to face is the lancetfish. It’s not all that big — a typical adult is about five or six feet long and weighs maybe 20 pounds. But it has a face that only another lancetfish could love, with big, scary eyes and a wide mouth full of fangs and sharp teeth. And when food is scarce, it turns into a cannibal, devouring its own kind to survive. Lancetfish inhabit tropical and subtropical latitudes around much of the globe. They usually stay away from shore, at depths of up to about two-thirds of a mile, so they’re rarely seen. Because of that, much of the lancetfish life cycle is poorly understood. Such basic details as how long it lives, how often it breeds, and the length of its spawning season are still unknown, for example.
And much of what we do know is fairly superficial. It has a long, tall dorsal fin, and its skin is free of scales. In fact, its scientific name, Alepisaurus, means “scaleless lizard.”
Lancetfish generally eat small crustaceans, squid, and other fish, although they have been known to eat their own kind. They probably lie in wait for passing prey and nab it quickly instead of engaging in long chases through the water.
Lancetfish find their way into fishing nets as bycatch. No one keeps them, though, because their flesh is watery and mushy. So not only would you not want to come face-to-face with one in its natural habitat, you probably wouldn’t want to find it on your dinner plate, either.
