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Characterization Of The Bioluminescent Symbionts From Ceratioids Collected In The Gulf Of Mexico, Lindsay L. Freed

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Anglerfishes are easily one of the most popular deep-sea creatures due to their menacing appearance, extreme sexual dimorphism, parasitic mating approach, and eye catching bioluminescent lure. Unlike most bioluminescent fishes, which intrinsically generate light, female anglerfishes belonging to nine of the 11 families within the suborder Ceratioidei (deep-sea anglerfishes) have developed a symbiotic relationship with bioluminescent bacteria that are housed within the light organs. Previous molecular work had identified symbionts from two anglerfish species as novel and possibly unculturable taxa (Haygood et al., 1992), but nothing more has been revealed about the bioluminecent symbionts of ceratioids. As part of …