Article

Lasiognathus dinema: New Northern Gulf of Mexico Anglerfish Species

Lasiognathus dinema is a northern Gulf of Mexico anglerfish species found by Drs. Theodore Pietsch and Tracey Sutton in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Lasiognathus dinema lives where the sun doesn’t shine Fish attract attention as candidates for: • garden water features; • objects of scientific research; • occupants of private and public aquaria; • options for outdoor activities; • sources of nutritious food. Scientific relevancy becomes far more dominant than adornment, entertainment, nutrition, and recreation whenever a fish models unanticipated behavior, navigates uncommon niches, and offers unexpected features. Unabashed, unaccustomed, unfamiliar, unorthodox, untypical, and unusual definitely count as appropriate descriptions of the anglerfish in general and the Gulf of Mexico’s northerly species in particular. Like the other five species in the genus, the northwest Caribbean Sea anglerfish Lasiognatus dinema (hairy jaw, two threads) does not get rave reviews for good looks or taste. Sustainable breeding and feeding instead explain Mexican Gulf anglerfish significance. ***** Website: http://www.burkemuseum.org/ichthyology/ http://fish.washington.edu/people/pietsch/ http://cnso.nova.edu/overview/faculty-staff-profiles/tracey_sutton.html *****

Lasiognathus genus of deep-sea anglerfish comprises six species, of which three have been discovered by American biologist Theodore Wells Pietsch III (born March 6, 1945).

Lasiognathus amphirhamphus from Madeira Abyssal Plain, deepest Canary Basin, northeast central Atlantic Ocean — Theodore W. Pietsch, University of Washington, CC BY 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en), via Wikimedia Commons

Lasiognathus dinema moves a one-of-a-kind bait-like, pole-like head-bump

Marine biologists find it useful to attribute three aquatic layers to oceans and seas:

benthic zone of sedimentary floors and sub-surfaces;
demersal zone of waters near the water body’s floor;
pelagic zone of waters upward from the near-bottom.

The uppermost layer gets called open ocean because of its original Greek origins in πέλαγος (pélagos, open sea). Depending upon depth, it has the potential of including such sub-layers as:

sunlight to 660 feet (201.17 meters) down from the topmost waters;
twilight to 3,300 feet (1,005.84 meters) down;
midnight to 13,000 feet (3,962.4 meters) down;
lower midnight to hadal trenches.

The midnight zone more formally is called the bathyal or deep-sea zone, from the Greek word βαθύς (bathýs, deep).

Lasiognathus dinema is the third anglerfish in the Lasiognathus genus, currently comprising six species, discovered by conscientious ichthyologist Theodore W. Pietsch.

one of three female specimens of new deep-sea anglerfish found in northern Gulf of Mexico — Theodore Pietsch, Ph.D. University of Washington, Usage restrictions "Provide Photo Credit," via EurekAlert!

Lasiognathus dinema needs teeth to breed and feed

This newly discovered, officially taxonomized anglerfish joins marine denizens 3,280 to 4,921 feet (999.74 to 1,499.92 meters) down from northwest Caribbean uppermost waters. There, the north Mexican Gulf species keeps an orange-colored presence. There, ceratioid (from the Greek word κέρας [kéras, horn]) anglerfish lead sustainable life cycles and natural histories:

attracting prey through bait-like, bioluminescent (glow-in-the-dark), fishing pole-like lures from heads accounting for 65 percent-plus of total body length;
feeding upon bony fishes, invertebrates, and marine snow (detritus) through super-mouths filled with super-spiked teeth and surrounded by super-whiskery barbels;
reproducing after far smaller-sized males chew through their future mate’s sides to become progressively parasites, protrusions, and reproductive organs ready for generating offspring according to hostess motives and opportunities.

Startling female-male anglerfish relationship entails parasitism of larger female by smaller male.

Luce Foundation Center for American Art, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC — Cliff (cliff1066™), CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/), via Flickr

Lasiognathus dinema offers deep-sea, high-pressure, low-temperature, oxygen-poor survivalism

Academic collections and publications make known the species-defining type specimens, thanks to fortuitous discoveries and savvy identifications of three females by:

Dr. Theodore W. Pietsch, University of Washington;
Dr. Tracey T. Sutton, Nova Southeastern University.

For example, the three specimens bio-geographically need 2,200 pounds (997.90 kilograms) -- not Earthling-accustomed 15 pounds (6.80 kilograms) -- per square inch of pressure against exteriors measuring from 1.2 to 3.7 inches (30.48 to 93.98 millimeters) long in cold, dark, extreme ecosystems. Their new home in the University of Washington’s world-largest deep-sea Ichthyology Collection offers them ample exposure to in-depth, up-front investigation by Dr. Pietsch, discoverer of:

the northeast Atlantic’s Lasiognathus amphirhamphus;
the northwest Atlantic’s and southeast Atlantic’s and Pacific’s Lasiognathus intermedius.

"Lasiognathus dinema – new species of anglerfish" (0:53)

Uploaded August 5, 2015, by SciNews to YouTube ~ URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r3xAShrTws

Lasiognathus dinema – new species of anglerfish

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image Credits

Lasiognathus genus of deep-sea anglerfish comprises six species, of which three have been discovered by American biologist Theodore Wells Pietsch III (born March 6, 1945).
Professor Pietsch discovered his second Lasiognathus anglerfish, Lasiognathus amphirhamphus, in the eastern North Atlantic off Madeira in 2005.
Professor Pietsch discovered his second Lasiognathus anglerfish, Lasiognathus amphirhamphus, in the eastern North Atlantic off Madeira in 2005.
Lasiognathus amphirhamphus from Madeira Abyssal Plain, deepest Canary Basin, northeast central Atlantic Ocean: Theodore W. Pietsch, University of Washington, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:L_amphirhamphus.jpg

Lasiognathus dinema is the third anglerfish in the Lasiognathus genus, currently comprising six species, discovered by conscientious ichthyologist Theodore W. Pietsch.
one of three female specimens of new deep-sea anglerfish found in northern Gulf of Mexico: Theodore Pietsch, Ph.D. University of Washington, Usage restrictions: Provide photo credit, via EurekAlert! @ https://www.eurekalert.org/multimedia/667180

Startling female-male anglerfish relationship entails parasitism of larger female by smaller male.
"Female Angler Fish with Parasitic Male"; 1999, flameworked glass by Tim Jerman (June 25th, 1957 - June 6th, 2004)
Luce Foundation Center for American Art, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC: Cliff (cliff1066™), CC BY 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/nostri-imago/3253466691/

"Lasiognathus dinema – new species of anglerfish" (0:53)
Uploaded August 5, 2015, by SciNews to YouTube ~ URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r3xAShrTws

American biologist Theodore Pietsch is credited with discovering three of the six species in the Thaumatichthyidae family's Lasiognathus genus.
2014 photo of Theodore Wells Pietsch III, University of Washington, Seattle: John J. Meyer, University of Washington Marketing and Communication, CC BY SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ThPietsch2014.jpg

Professor Pietsch co-discovered Lasiognathus dinema with Tracey Sutton, Associate Professor at Fort Lauderdale's Nova Southeastern University, during 2011 survey of Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill's impact on section of northern Gulf of Mexico.
Sunlight illuminates lingering oil slick off Mississippi Delta on May 24, 2010, four days after April 20th explosion on Deepwater Horizon offshore oil platform about 50 miles southeast of Mississippi River delta (28.74°N, 88.39°W).
"NASA's Terra Satellites Sees Spill on May 24" with Locator Map by FT2: NASA/GSFC, MODIS Rapid Response AND demis.nl AND FT2, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Deepwater_Horizon_oil_spill_-_May_24,_2010_-_with_locator.jpg; via NASA @ https://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/oilspill/20100525_spill.html

American biologist Theodore Pietsch is credited with discovering three of the six species in the Thaumatichthyidae family's Lasiognathus genus.

2014 photo of Theodore Wells Pietsch III, University of Washington, Seattle — John J. Meyer, University of Washington Marketing and Communication, CC BY SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en), via Wikimedia Commons

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Professor Pietsch co-discovered Lasiognathus dinema with Tracey Sutton, Associate Professor at Fort Lauderdale's Nova Southeastern University, during 2011 survey of Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill's impact on section of northern Gulf of Mexico.

"NASA's Terra Satellites Sees Spill on May 24" with Locator Map by FT2 — NASA/GSFC, MODIS Rapid Response AND demis.nl AND FT2, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons

the end which is also the beginning — OpenClips, Public Domain, via Pixabay

Oceanic Anglerfishes: Extraordinary Diversity in the Deep Sea by Theodore W. Pietsch ~ Available via Amazon

Theodore W. Pietsch writings

The Angler fish Women's Small Black Graphic Tank Top - Design By Humans ~ Also available as Women's T Shirt + Racerback Tank Top ~ Available via Amazon

anglerfish artworks

Me and my purrfectly purrfect Maine coon kittycat, Augusta "Gusty" Sunshine

Updated September 11, 2026

Comments

DerdriuMarrinerSep 26, 2026

The Dutch language arises among any articulation of Caribbean-Sea languages.

The word anglerfish appears as vinarmigen in Dutch.

DerdriuMarrinerSep 25, 2026

The French language abounds along such Caribbean-Sea states as Louisiana and on such Caribbean islands as Haiti.

The word anglerfish appears as poissons-pêcheurs in French.

DerdriuMarrinerSep 24, 2026

For those asking about names other-language names for Lasognathus dinema, the Spanish language accounts for languages other than English appearing around the waters off the southern United States and eastern Central America.

The English-language common name for Lasiognathus dinema is anglerfish.

A Spanish-language common name is pez lobo de mar.

DerdriuMarrinerSep 23, 2026

For asking about the scientific-classification and taxonomic-description nomenclature, "two filaments/threads" acts as the literal English for the species name dinema.

DerdriuMarrinerSep 22, 2026

The computer crashed afore I communicated another component of my comment below.

The genus Lasiognathus combines the two Greek nouns λάσῐος γνᾰ́θος.

The afore-displayed duo defer literally to the Anglicized description "hair jaw" for the jaw-domiciled hair-like barbels of Lasiognathus dinema.

DerdriuMarrinerSep 21, 2026

For those asking about the scientific-classification and taxonomic-description nomenclature, "jaw hair" acts as the literal English for the genus name Lasiognathus.

DerdriuMarrinerSep 9, 2015

CruiseReady, If you ever do encounter this fish while you're snorkeling, you'll know that you aren't imagining things and you'll know what it is!
It's an incredible bit of ecological and paleontological luck to be funded to study the horrors of oil spills and to find a new species.

CruiseReadySep 9, 2015

That is one ugly fish, and unlike anything I've seen in my snorkeling adventures. Guess I'm not likely ever to do so, given that they wouldn't come near the surface. Interesting about how the discovery took place.

DerdriuMarrinerAug 11, 2015

blackspanielgallery, Yes, they certainly are. In this case, the environment makes me imagine what a fish could look like if water flows on Mars.

blackspanielgalleryAug 10, 2015

Strange creatures are always interesting.