Monkfish spotted off the coast of the Canary Islands

A fish from scary science fiction stories: a deep-sea angler fish was filmed off the coast of Tenerife.

The monkfish, as this fish is also called, is one of the most terrifying and amazing inhabitants of the ocean.

A rare case has occurred when a deep-sea angler fish rose from the depths to the surface before our eyes.

This may be the first recorded case of observing a living adult representative of Melanocetus johnsonii during the day.

Scientists do not know why the angler fish rose to the surface. The cause could be underwater currents, predators, or disease.

Females of this species have a special glowing “flashlight” on their heads, with which they lure prey in the pitch darkness of the depths.

Another amazing fact: male anglers are tens of times smaller than females and lead a parasitic lifestyle.

They attach themselves to their partner, grow together with her, and feed at her expense for the rest of their lives.