Where does this come from, and can I check it?

Bacteria living inside the anglerfish modified fin ray light up prey. The figure is taken from Monterey Bay Aquarium, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.

Is this really a animals fact?

Yes. It sits on the Animals shelf, one of 1,090 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.

What else can I read about it?

The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.

Mondo Knows Facts

Deep-sea anglerfish hunt using glowing bioluminescent lures

Bacteria living inside the anglerfish modified fin ray light up prey.

Female deep-sea anglerfish feature an elongated dorsal fin spine called an illicium topped with a luminous bulb called an esca. Symbiotic bioluminescent bacteria colonize the esca, creating a glowing bait in pitch-black ocean depths to attract curious fish straight into sharp jaws.

Where this comes from

Monterey Bay Aquarium

Facts that can change over time are reviewed and updated. If something here looks wrong, Mondo would rather know than be confidently incorrect.

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Nature & Animals trivia Memory Match

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Tags: anglerfish, deep-sea, bioluminescence

Deep-sea anglerfish hunt using glowing bioluminescent lures: the short answers

Where does this come from, and can I check it?: Bacteria living inside the anglerfish modified fin ray light up prey. The figure is taken from Monterey Bay Aquarium, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
Is this really a animals fact?: Yes. It sits on the Animals shelf, one of 1,090 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
What else can I read about it?: The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.