The Viperfish is one of the fiercest predators of the deep. It's fangs do not fit inside its mouth, but curve back to the fish's eyes. It is thought that the Viper use these sharp teeth to injure its victims by swimming at them at high speeds. This fearsome looking creature has a long dorsal spine that is tipped with a photophore, a light-producing organ. The Viper may use this to attract its prey by flashing on and off while hanging motionless in the water.

This fish can be easily recognized by its large mouth and sharp, fang-like teeth. These fangs are so large in fact that they do not fit inside its mouth. Instead, they curve back very close to the fish's eyes. The viper is thought to use these sharp teeth to impale its victims by swimming at them at high speeds. The first vertebra, right behind the head, actually acts as a shock absorber. Vipers have a hinged skull which can be rotated up for swallowing large prey. They also have large stomachs, which can expand up to twice its normal size, that allow them to stock up on food when ever it is plentiful.

The viperfish inhabits the sea at depths between 457.2 to 2743.2 m (1500.0 to 9000.0 ft)

This fearsome looking creature has a long dorsal spine that is tipped with a photophore, a light-producing organ. The viperfish uses this light organ to attract its prey. By flashing it on and off, it can be used like a fishing lure to attract smaller fish. They have been known to hang motionless in the water, waving their lures over their heads to attract their meals. Like many deep sea creatures, the viperfish is known to migrate vertically throughout the day. During daytime hours they are found in deep water down to 5000 feet. At night they travel up onto shallower waters at depths of less than 2000 feet where food is more plentiful.

The viperfish is known to eat crustaceans such as shrimp, squid, and hermit crabs. It is also known to eat anchovies, mackerel, and other little fish.

Males are thought to use external fertilization which means that the eggs are fertilized
outside of the female’s body. When a Viperfish breed they lay large quantities of eggs that float in the middle waters of the ocean.

Dragonfish are a common predator of viperfish.

• In the dark, other fish can’t see the viperfish’s fanglike teeth—its mouth becomes an unseen trap.
• The viperfish got its name from its snake like body and its needle - sharp fangs. Its jaws are enormous. The viperfish may look like a deep sea monster but actually only measures 25 cm.
   

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Last Update 2002-11-21