Lasiognathus dinema: New Northern Gulf of Mexico Anglerfish Species

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). 

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.

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. 

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

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

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