A female Humpback Anglerfish (Melanocetus johnsonii) at metamorphosis
Note the absence of large teeth in this individual. As female anglerfishes pass through metamorphosis, their larger teeth grow in... but its one of the last changes that you see before the adult form in this species. The "stitch" looking pattern is part of the lateral line system. This organ is used by fishes to determine the position and magnitude of movement in the water around them... aiding in food detection and identification of potential predators.
''Melanocetus johnsonii'' is a species of black seadevils in the family of Melanocetidae, which means “black large sea creature” in Greek. It is named after James Yate Johnson after he discovered the fish in Madeira. The common names include humpback anglerfish, humpback blackdevil, and Johnson’s anglerfish.
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