A Netdevil (Linophryne sp.) trawled from between 1,200 and 1,500 meters depth, Gulf of Mexico.

This is a female anglerfish from the family Linophrynidae and the genus Linophryne, known as the “Netdevils” or "Bearded Seadevils." Linophryne is a special group of fish because they demonstrate two distinctive modes of bioluminescence, intrinsic bioluminescence and bacterial bioluminescence. The evolution of both modes in a single species is extremely rare. The esca or “lure” is filled with bacteria that produce light and live in a symbiosis with the fish. The chin barbel or “beard” glows in the dark via the production of luciferin and luciferase by the fish – an intrinsic method of light production by the fish itself. This specimen was trawled up in the Gulf of Mexico, 2016, from between 1,200 and 1,500 meters depth. Image courtesy of the DEEPEND project.