Adult (pictured left) and baby (pictured right)
Common name: Tripod fish, Tripod spiderfish
Scientific name: Bathypterois grallator
Can be found in: Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, 878 to 4,720 m (2,881 to 15,486 ft) deep
Info: The Tripod fish uses its elongated fins to "stand" and hunt for food. Scientists aren't fully sure how their fins switch between flexible and stiff, but suspect that the fish pumps fluids into the fins when it needs the rigidity. The Tripod fish does not have strong eyesight to find food- it would be useless in its dark environment. Instead it uses touch and mechanosensory cues, and by "standing," its mouth is the perfect height for catching small fish and shrimp that swim by. All Tripod fish have male and female reproductive organs, and will fertilize their own eggs if they cannot find a mate.
Source(s): X X
