Up Close with a Coffin Fish
Normally seen from above, have you ever wondered what the belly of a Chaunacops looks like? This incredible little fish - known commonly as a ‘sea toad’ or ‘coffin fish’, is a species of anglerfish.
The genus Chaunacops has three different species, all easily recognizable by their orange or red coloration. Ambush predators who generally stick to the seafloor, this individual swam to the water column up as ROV Hercules approached, allowing our team a spectacular view of its form. This clip shares a great view of the reduced and modified pectoral fins which are adapted to aid the fish perching on seafloor lava flows. Note the tiny white dot between the eyes - its bioluminescent lure, which folds out to lure in her next meal.
Learn more about this expedition in the Johnston Atoll Unit of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument funded by NOAA Ocean Exploration via the Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute: https://nautl.us/3Hx5pZE
Deep Sea Biodiversity & Ancient Volcanoes near Johnston Atoll
Johnston Atoll, one of the most isolated atolls in the world, is located in the central Pacific Ocean, between the Hawaiian Islands, the Line Islands, and the nation of Kiribati. Around this atoll, the Pacific Remote Island Marine National Monument (PRIMNM) was expanded in 2014 to protect the full 200 nautical mile perimeter of the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) encompassing many unexplored seafloor features.
