Fish of the Day 36 - I got that Chaunacops in me

Today's fish of the day is the red coffinfish! A lovely deep sea friend.

"This must be the most adorable thing associated with a coffin, ever! Even better than that sexy vampire you were thinking you might marry. It would never work, you know. You're far better off cuddling this cheeky, little strawberry!" -  Joseph Jameson-Gould, one of my many inspirations.

Red coffinfish facts:

- The red coffinfish, also called the "sea toad" comes from the genus Chaunacops, which means this guy is an anglerfish! There are many kinds of anglerfish that lack actual anglers, just like this species.

- The red coffinfish has been spotted walking along the rocky seafloor using their pectoral fins. 

- There isn't a whole lot of information about this species, or the Chaunacops genus as a whole, but some speculate that junevile red coffinfish are blue, and they become red as they grow. I can see how thsi would be theorized, you can see a faint hint of blue on their skin in the photo! And additionally... blue individuals have been spotted in the past.

- In the Chaunacops genus, there are 4 confirmed species, but some speculate there may be a 5th. There was a fish that looked similar to the red coffinfish caught on video around 2017, but it's hard to confirm these speculations. One major issue with deepsea exploration is that, unless it's clearly something never seen before, photo/video evidence is not good proof that a new fish may exist. Physical evidence is the only thing that can truly confirm these things.

- This isn't really a fact, but it seems like seeing these kinds of fish is a treat for scientists involved with deepsea exploration. I totally understand the appeal! Anything below the twilight zone always has some sort of freakish trait or appearence... but the red coffinfish is certainly an exception.

Do you got that chaunacops in you? I'd say I do. They're a whismical little thing in a world full of terrors, and I think that can be said for me, too. (To a smaller degree)