Their large mouths contain two or three massive, dagger-like fangs on both the upper and lower jaws, used to incapacitate slippery prey like squid and other fish.
Lancetfish lack a swim bladder and have gelatinous, watery muscles, which suggests they are ambush predators rather than fast, long-distance swimmers. Ecology and Behavior ITIS - Report: Alepisaurus alepisaurus
A slightly smaller and rarer relative with a shorter, more blunt snout. Physical Characteristics Their large mouths contain two or three massive,
The more widely distributed and better-known species, characterized by a noticeably longer snout. A prominent, high dorsal fin runs nearly the
They possess a long, laterally compressed body that tapers toward a deeply forked tail. Their skin is entirely scaleless , iridescent silver-blue, and covered in pores.
A prominent, high dorsal fin runs nearly the entire length of their back, often standing twice as high as the fish is deep.
There are two primary recognized species within the Alepisauridae family :