Fish
Triplewart Seadevil
Cryptopsaras couesii · also called triplewart anglerfish
Found in every ocean except the polar seas, a triplewart seadevil takes the deep sea’s strategy of permanently fused mates to an extreme, with a single female sometimes carrying several attached males at once, each reduced to little more than a living sperm supply.
Overview
The triplewart seadevil, Cryptopsaras couesii, is a widely distributed deep-sea anglerfish native to deep ocean habitat recorded across nearly every major ocean basin. Its unusually broad global range, three distinctive head caruncles, and capacity to carry multiple permanently fused males on a single female make it one of the more extreme examples of anglerfish sexual parasitism found anywhere in the ocean.
Taking a strategy to its limit
While permanently fused males are already a striking trait among several deep-sea anglerfish species, the triplewart seadevil pushes the strategy further still, with individual females sometimes supporting more than one attached male simultaneously, each existing solely to fertilise her eggs.
Status
Least Concern, though population trends remain largely unknown given the difficulty of surveying deep ocean habitat.
Triplewart Seadevil: common questions
Why is it called the triplewart seadevil?
This species has three small, wart-like caruncles on its head, a distinctive feature that gave the species its common name, setting it apart from other deep-sea anglerfish species.
Can more than one male attach to a single female triplewart seadevil?
Yes, unlike many anglerfish species where a female carries at most one attached male, a single female of this species has been documented carrying several permanently fused males at once.
How widely distributed is the triplewart seadevil?
This species is found across every ocean basin in the world except the polar seas, making it one of the most widely distributed deep-sea anglerfish species known to science.
What happens to a male triplewart seadevil after it fuses to a female?
Once fused, the male loses his independent organs and becomes permanently attached to the female, functioning solely as a living sperm supply for the rest of his life, with several males sometimes attached to one female at a time.