Chauliodus
3 species
A viperfish is any species of marine fish in the genus Chauliodus. Viperfishes are mostly found in the mesopelagic zone and are characterized by long, needle-like teeth and hinged lower jaws. A typical viperfish grows to lengths of 30 cm (12 in). Viperfishes undergo diel vertical migration and are found all around the world in tropical and temperate oceans. Viperfishes are capable of bioluminescence and possess photophores along the ventral side of their body, likely used to camouflage them by blending in with the less than 1% of light that reaches to below 200 meters depth.
Although it may appear to be covered in scales, viperfishes do not possess scales. Rather, they are covered by a thick, transparent coating of unknown substance. Extremely large, fang-like teeth give the fish a slightly protruded lower jaw.
Viperfishes live in meso- and bathypelagic environments and have been found dominating submarine calderas such as the Kurose Hole, which is the site with the highest Chauliodus density known in the world. Viperfishes also engage in diel vertical migration, meaning they migrate up into more productive waters during the night to feed. However, it is likely that only part of the total population of viperfishes engages in diel vertical migration on any given night, which could be due to their slow metabolism, i.e. they likely do not have to feed every night. Temperature is another restricting factor in viperfish's vertical distribution in the ocean. Depth is restricted by temperature, and the upper thermal limit of viperfish is 12° to 15 °C. In tropical waters, viperfish tend to stay in the deep layers and not migrate much, while in temperate waters viperfish are more actively migrating and even interacting with epipelagic predators.
A viperfish is any species of marine fish in the genus Chauliodus. Viperfishes are mostly found in the mesopelagic zone and are characterized by long, needle-like teeth and hinged lower jaws. A typical viperfish grows to lengths of 30 cm (12 in). Viperfishes undergo diel vertical migration and are found all around the world in tropical and temperate oceans. Viperfishes are capable of bioluminescence and possess photophores along the ventral side of their body, likely used to camouflage them by blending in with the less than 1% of light that reaches to below 200 meters depth.
Although it may appear to be covered in scales, viperfishes do not possess scales. Rather, they are covered by a thick, transparent coating of unknown substance. Extremely large, fang-like teeth give the fish a slightly protruded lower jaw.
Viperfishes live in meso- and bathypelagic environments and have been found dominating submarine calderas such as the Kurose Hole, which is the site with the highest Chauliodus density known in the world. Viperfishes also engage in diel vertical migration, meaning they migrate up into more productive waters during the night to feed. However, it is likely that only part of the total population of viperfishes engages in diel vertical migration on any given night, which could be due to their slow metabolism, i.e. they likely do not have to feed every night. Temperature is another restricting factor in viperfish's vertical distribution in the ocean. Depth is restricted by temperature, and the upper thermal limit of viperfish is 12° to 15 °C. In tropical waters, viperfish tend to stay in the deep layers and not migrate much, while in temperate waters viperfish are more actively migrating and even interacting with epipelagic predators.
