The female angler fish can grow up to 47 inches, yet the male only grows up to 2.5 inches long. The male is rarely bigger than a man's fist. They are found from 1,640-10,000 feet deep. They mostly live in the Atlantic and Antarctic Oceans. The female angler fish eats fish and shrimp that are attracted by the luminous organ on her lure. It also attracts prey by vibrating the lure. Scientists believe that the female gives off a special scent that attracts males. The male angler fish connects itself to the female angler fish, when it is mature enough, and then is mated for life. It completely depends on the female for nourishment, protection, and anything else it needs. The way it gets its nourishment is by connecting itself to the females blood-stream. From then on it is just a source of sperm. When the male grips the female's skin with its teeth, the male begins to degenerate. His eyes grow smaller and he eventually loses them. Once the female gives birth, the male angler fish bites the female and remains attached to her with that grip for the rest of its life. The males have large eyes and don't have a luminous rod or lure. Their skin is smooth. The male angler fish does not have a digestive tube. The angler fish has smooth dark-brown to black bodies. The angler fish does not have scales.
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