viperfish

[ vahy-per-fish ]

noun

, plural (especially collectively) vi·per·fish, (especially referring to two or more kinds or species) vi·per·fish·es.

1. any of several deep-sea fishes of the family Chauliodontidae, having a large mouth and fanglike teeth, some species having light-emitting organs on their bodies.

Word History and Origins

Origin of viperfish¹

First recorded in 1890–95; viper + fish

Example Sentences

Viperfish and creatures like it have evolved ever blacker—we're talking blacker than black—so they can hide in plain sight.

From National Geographic

"The public normally thinks about anglerfish or viperfish," the black, monster-jawed fish with the dangling lanterns usually found a few thousand meters down, says Mackenzie Gerringer, a postdoctoral fellow at the Unversity of Washington's Friday Harbor Laboratories.

From National Geographic

The technique of mimicking a non-threatening or tasty species to lure prey is known as aggressive mimicry, and it’s seen in other deep-sea creatures such as anglerfish, viperfish and dragonfish.

From Scientific American