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Scary Looking Creature: The Hatchetfish

This has got to be one of the strangest and scariest sea creatures I have ever seen. This fish, dubbed the Hatchetfish due to its hatchet-like thinness, is usually found in the Caribbean waters as well as the Gulf of Mexico.

The Hatchetfish has tube-like eyes that are permanently fixed upwards, giving them a scary look, but also helping them fish for food as it falls from above them. These fish are also equipped with light-producing photophores which are used in defensive behavior called counter-lighting. Basically, they can look like ghosts!

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 14th, 2009 at 11:44 am and is filed under Interesting Fish. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

7 Responses to “Scary Looking Creature: The Hatchetfish”

  1. stanford billy Says:
    February 11th, 2010 at 7:31 pm

    why did you guys have the opening picture as a le hatchet fish? i did not know i was clicking into information on EUbacteria when i clicked on this picture of a le hatchet fish… i thought that this le hatchet fish looked very cute and you guys ruined it with school biology stuff. even though i was initially looking up EUbacteria for my biology class. i was looking forward to looking at pictures of bacteria and now i am looking at le hatchet fish. did you not know that i am scared of le hatchet fish. well now you do. i hope you take ths website down now, there are many people who fear the great le hatchet fish. thank you. have a good day

  2. hatchetfishbobsteve Says:
    March 9th, 2010 at 1:57 pm

    I thought they were creepy at first, but then I found out that they were fascinating as well. At some time in fifth grade, I became completely fascinated by them. I have since grown out of it, but it’s still my username on one website.

  3. geoff Says:
    March 19th, 2010 at 12:18 am

    These things look like they will eat your soul

  4. Amanda Says:
    April 24th, 2010 at 2:05 am

    I agree with you geoff!! that’s a freaky @$$ fish!!

  5. Mariae Says:
    April 24th, 2010 at 10:02 am

    THAT IS THE SCARIEST THING I EVER SAW IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!! =((( my first reaction was like this “:O” and i couldnt stop it for like how many minutes. AGREE ON WHAT GEOFF SAYS. it just ate my soul :( =((((((

  6. michael Says:
    July 21st, 2010 at 12:24 pm

    im so giggley about the pig squid

  7. megan Says:
    July 21st, 2010 at 12:26 pm

    i was wondering how did the line pull up the cat fish

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