Nature · 2

In anglerfish, what happens to a male after he bites onto a female?

Answer

He permanently fuses to her body and becomes a sperm-producing organ

When a male anglerfish finds a female, he bites into her skin and their tissues fuse permanently. He loses most of his organs, becomes fully dependent on her bloodstream, and functions solely as a reproductive organ supplying sperm on demand.

💡 Did you know?

Anglerfish females are 10 times larger than males. Males bite females and fuse permanently, becoming living sperm-producing organs.

Other options people guess

  • He guards her eggs externally until they hatch
  • He detaches after mating and lives independently nearby
  • He is consumed by the female as a post-mating nutrient source

Topics

  • anglerfish
  • deep-sea
  • reproduction
  • biology

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