Common Fangtooth

Despite its terrifying appearance, the common fangtooth is actually quite small, typically growing to a maximum length of only 16 centimeters (about 6.3 inches). Its massive head and jaws make it look much more dangerous than its actual size implies. It was first scientifically described in 1833.

To accommodate its disproportionately massive teeth, the common fangtooth has evolved specialized sockets on either side of its brain. The teeth of the lower jaw actually fit into these pockets when the fish closes its mouth. This biological adaptation ensures the fish doesn't impale its own brain when biting down.

The common fangtooth is a deep-sea fish found in tropical and temperate waters around the world. They typically dwell in the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zones at depths ranging from 200 to 2,000 meters. They undergo a daily vertical migration, swimming up to shallower waters to feed under the cover of darkness.

As an aggressive predator of the deep, the common fangtooth primarily feeds on smaller fish and various deep-sea invertebrates. Its enormous teeth and wide gape allow it to swallow prey whole, preventing any chance of escape in the dark abyss. Juveniles, which look drastically different from adults, rely more on eating zooplankton.