What are some adaptations that allow fish to live in the abyssal zone?
Consideration of the special adaptations of abyssal creatures launches us into some interesting biology and biochemistry discussions. Abyssal creatures go through life in a rather different way than that experienced by their shallower water cousins. For example, abyssal fish tend to live longer and reproduce more slowly. Unfortunately, our understanding of reproduction in some groups is rather meager. For the longest time, marine biologists believed the male and female anglerfish were not the same species. It is an easy mistake to make. The 65 cm-long female is much, much larger than the diminutive 1.5 cm-long male. I know this has peaked your curiosity. How is this possible? First, males begin life as free-swimming fish. Now for the good part; males attach themselves to females uniting their circulatory systems in the process. Males become reproductive appendages; as many as four males may attach themselves to a single female. Now for the even better part; in one case, a male of a dif
