Today, I want to introduce the Deep-sea Lizardfish, who, as the name suggests live in the deep sea. They’re found at depths exceeding 3,000 feet, which is in the “midnight” or aphotic zone. No sunlight can penetrate such deep waters.
Their most distinctive feature are their searing teeth. They are apex predators, who ambush their prey by waiting on the sea floor with their mouth open. At this depth the Lizardfish can’t afford to be picky so will eat anything that comes their way.
This sparse environment also means the Deep-sea Lizardfish can’t be picky when it comes to finding a mate. To combat this they are synchronous, or simultaneous hermaphrodites. This means they can produce both male and female gametes at the same time. That way, they can mate with any partner they come across.
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