Fish of the Day – Endo’s Goosefish

Check out this interesting fish recently caught by one of our trawlers working off the Victorian coast. Looking like the devil himself, this is Endo’s Goosefish (Lophiodes endoi, also known by some people as monkfish) which is a deepwater member of the anglerfish family of fishes. Growing to 38cm, this species can be found around the South-eastern and western margins of Australia’s continental shelf in waters ranging from 275-500m deep.

Like all anglerfishes, Endo’s Goosefish uses a specially adapted dorsal fin ray (known as an esca by scientists) as a fishing rod to lure smaller, inquisitive prey near to its gruesome mouth. You can guess what happens next. Watch this amazing video of a similar species in action:

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Angler fishes possess some of the most impressive teeth in the animal kingdom; they ensure that once prey enters their mouths, there is no chance of escape. Check out our pics of this cool beast:

Photo credits: Andrew Trappett