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Description
The final post this week and possibly until mid February, lets look at the next spec evo animal from my project Gorgaias, the Bombfish.

The Bombfish is a descendant of an anglerfish (Lophiiformes), possibly a species of Footballfish (Himantolophidae). Due to their nightmarish appearances, a disproportionate number of deep-sea fish were introduced to Gorgaias' oceans in comparison to pelagic fish, leaving a huge number of niches open in the surface waters. Some deep-sea fish were able to over millions of years adapt to more surface environments, due in part to retaining traits from their larval forms that usually live in or close to the pelagic zone. Lophiiformes had many species introduced to Gorgaias (they are often called Seadevils after all) and many flourished and evolved into different forms (one such species is the Grindel discussed earlier).

Bombfish live around rocky sea-beds or reefs not to far from coastal areas. As in most anglerfish descendants, the male and female look very different, with females significantly larger. Females retain the rotundness and spiny body of their presumed Footballfish ancestors. The globular body of the Bombfish can be inflated in a similar manner to a pufferfish, although not as extreme. The lure of the ancestral angler has all but been lost, appearing as a mere spine on the front of the back. Female Bombfish are slow swimmers that stalk rock crevices searching for crustaceans and small, slow fish to eat. They have cavernous mouths, and when prey is spotted they will swallow it whole, even sucking it in with great force should prey make a last ditch effort to swim away. The spiny studs around the female Bombfish can protect it from a variety of predators such as the Merrow and eel-like Ormfish, and it can use its ability to mildly inflate itself in order to wedge itself into crevices. Male Bombfish in comparison to females are rather different in appearance. Besides being much smaller, the male is thinner and lacks any spiny studs. They live secretive lives around rocks and feed on planktonic organisms and detritus; they are not parasitic in any way.

Normally, the females may cannibalize the males, but during the mating season, the male gains a large bright, mildly bioluminescent patch on its flank that lets the female know not to eat it. Bombfish still have very poor eyesight overall, but they can sense the different changes in light, allowing the females to know when breeding males are nearby.

Description
The final post this week and possibly until mid February, lets look at the next spec evo animal from my project Gorgaias, the Bombfish.

The Bombfish is a descendant of an anglerfish (Lophiiformes), possibly a species of Footballfish (Himantolophidae). Due to their nightmarish appearances, a disproportionate number of deep-sea fish were introduced to Gorgaias' oceans in comparison to pelagic fish, leaving a huge number of niches open in the surface waters. Some deep-sea fish were able to over millions of years adapt to more surface environments, due in part to retaining traits from their larval forms that usually live in or close to the pelagic zone. Lophiiformes had many species introduced to Gorgaias (they are often called Seadevils after all) and many flourished and evolved into different forms (one such species is the Grindel discussed earlier).

Bombfish live around rocky sea-beds or reefs not to far from coastal areas. As in most anglerfish descendants, the male and female look very different, with females significantly larger. Females retain the rotundness and spiny body of their presumed Footballfish ancestors. The globular body of the Bombfish can be inflated in a similar manner to a pufferfish, although not as extreme. The lure of the ancestral angler has all but been lost, appearing as a mere spine on the front of the back. Female Bombfish are slow swimmers that stalk rock crevices searching for crustaceans and small, slow fish to eat. They have cavernous mouths, and when prey is spotted they will swallow it whole, even sucking it in with great force should prey make a last ditch effort to swim away. The spiny studs around the female Bombfish can protect it from a variety of predators such as the Merrow and eel-like Ormfish, and it can use its ability to mildly inflate itself in order to wedge itself into crevices. Male Bombfish in comparison to females are rather different in appearance. Besides being much smaller, the male is thinner and lacks any spiny studs. They live secretive lives around rocks and feed on planktonic organisms and detritus; they are not parasitic in any way.

Normally, the females may cannibalize the males, but during the mating season, the male gains a large bright, mildly bioluminescent patch on its flank that lets the female know not to eat it. Bombfish still have very poor eyesight overall, but they can sense the different changes in light, allowing the females to know when breeding males are nearby.