Pitcairn Islands 2 Dollars 2010 Silver Proof Deep Sea Fish Black Sea Devil

Description

Black seadevils are small, deep-sea lophiiform fish comprising the family Melanocetidae. There are five known species (with only two given common names), all within the genus Melanocetus. They are found in tropical to temperate waters of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Ocean, with one species known only from the Ross Sea. One of several anglerfish families, black seadevils are named for their baleful appearance and typically pitch black skin. The family name Melanocetidae may be translated from the Greek melanos meaning “black”, and cetus meaning either “whale” or “sea monster”. The humpback anglerfish (Melanocetus johnsonii) was featured on the August 1995 issue of Time magazine, becoming something of a flagship species of deep-sea fauna.