A Head Joint Found in Deep-Sea Fishes May Enable Them to Swallow Large Prey (IMAGE)

PLOS

A Head Joint Found in Deep-Sea Fishes May Enable Them to Swallow Large Prey

Caption

The image and the x-ray show the external and internal morphology of a barbeled dragonfish (Eustomias spp.), a fish predator living in the deep sea that attracts prey with its luminescent chin barbel. The x-ray shows a large, ingested lanternfish. This and other stomach content analyses support the hypothesis that the functional head joint greatly reinforces the maneuverability of the head in order to engulf significantly large prey items.

Credit

Nalani Schnell, MNHN

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