Which fish has a light-emitting organ on its head to attract prey?

The anglerfish has a light-emitting lure on its head that attracts prey. In deep-sea anglerfish, a modified dorsal-fin spine forms a stalk called the illicium, ending in a fleshy bulb called the esca. Bioluminescent bacteria living in the esca produce the lure’s glow in the darkness of the deep ocean.

The anglerfish moves this structure above its mouth, making the glowing esca resemble a small animal. Curious prey approach the apparent meal and are then swallowed by the anglerfish’s enormous mouth. Many species also have long, inward-pointing teeth and expandable stomachs, allowing them to consume surprisingly large prey.

A common mix-up is that not every anglerfish glows. The bioluminescent lure is especially characteristic of the deep-sea suborder Ceratioidei; shallow-water relatives such as frogfish may use camouflage, movement, scent, or a lure that merely resembles prey. Dragonfish, flashlight fish, and lanternfish also produce light, but their light organs are different structures and are not the classic head-mounted anglerfish lure.