The anglerfish has teeth like “sharp glass shards” and a huge mouth to swallow prey “as big as its own body,” the statement shared.
How they reproduce is really interesting. Males grow only an inch, while females can reach 24 inches. The statement said the male “bites onto the female and becomes a ‘sexual parasite,’ fusing with her until only its testes are left for reproduction.”
Spotting such a fish intact on the shore is “very rare,” the park said. The statement also said, “It’s not known how or why these fish end up onshore.”
“Seeing this strange fish shows the amazing diversity of marine life in California’s protected areas. As scientists learn more about these deep-sea creatures, it makes us think about how much we still don’t know about our mysterious ocean!” Crystal Cove concluded.