# Where Do Anglerfish Live?

> Where anglerfish live: Deep ocean, often below 1,000 m, native range cues, and human overlap. Status Least Concern.

- **Species:** Anglerfish (*Lophiiformes*)
- **Conservation status:** Least Concern
- **Diet:** Carnivore
- **Habitat:** Deep ocean, often below 1,000 m
- **Lifespan:** Estimated 10–30 years
- **Top speed:** Slow; an ambush predator
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/anglerfish/where-do-anglerfish-live/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/anglerfish/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

The anglerfish is a deep-sea fish named for the glowing, fishing-rod-like lure that grows from its head and attracts prey in the darkness. The familiar deep-sea females have huge mouths and needle-like teeth, and their light comes from glowing bacteria living in the lure. In some species the tiny male permanently fuses to the female's body, becoming a lifelong source of sperm.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need a sighting hotline. This page is native range and habitat.

## The glowing lure

Deep-sea anglerfish have a modified spine that extends over the mouth and ends in a fleshy, glowing tip. The light is produced by symbiotic bacteria living inside the lure, an example of bioluminescence. By wiggling this lure in the dark, the anglerfish draws curious prey close to its waiting jaws.

## Help protect the Anglerfish

Ocean wildlife is under mounting pressure from overfishing, bycatch and plastic pollution.

[Donate to wildlife protection](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/donate/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/anglerfish/where-do-anglerfish-live/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.