Threadfin Dragonfish (Echiostoma barbatum) from the Gulf of Mexico.

The Threadfin Dragonfish, Echiostoma barbatum, has a bioluminescent lure that dangles at the end of a short rod (a barbel) attached to its chin. The massive teeth of this species are used to grip prey items drawn to the lure. It has photophores on its face that produce red light and allow it to see red prey items, like prawns. Red is one of the first colors that drops out of the light spectrum at depths. In deep waters, red turns to black and is invisible to all, except those that can both produce and see red light. This individual was captured in a trawl between 400 and 500 meters depth in the Gulf of Mexico, 2010. The species has been captured as deep as 4200 meters.