Weird and Wonderful: A big mouth is an advantage for the toothy viperfish

The Pacific viperfish, Chauliodus macouni, looks like a fearsome predator—at least to small fish and shrimp—but in the deep sea, everyone is on the menu and needs to adapt ways to avoid becoming dinner. Sleek, silvery, and adorned with brilliant bioluminescence along their bellies, viperfish are among the countless marine animals that migrate each night from the ocean’s depths to shallower surface waters to dine then back down again. The Pacific viperfish’s needle-like teeth are key to their hunting strategy. The two front fangs extend dramatically from the fish’s bottom jaw up past its eyes. By unhinging their jaws, their mouths can open wide enough to engulf large prey items. The formidable teeth form a cage to prevent escape, while the prey are swallowed whole. Common name: Pacific viperfish Scientific name: Chauliodus macouni Depth range: 200–1,500 meters (655–5,000 feet) Size: 30 centimeters (12 inches) Editor: Ted Blanco Writer: Susan von Thun Production team: Madison Pobis, Kyra Schlining, Nancy Jacobsen Stout, Susan von Thun Music: Twisted Fear by Bobby Cole (Storyblocks)