Anko, Anglerfish あんこう、鮟鱇
(Lophiomus setigerus).
Also called "angler," "monkfish" and "seadevil." Grows from 1 to 1.5 meter. One of the most fearsome and ugly fishes in existence. Called "anglerfish" because the first ray of its spinous dorsal sticks out of the head like a line and bait, a device for attracting prey to the wide mouth. Head extremely big, mouth filled with large and sharp teeth. As the body is very soft, anko is not cut on a cutting board, but while hanging down. Lives on sandy mud bottom. Feeds on other fishes, octopus and squid. Found from Hokkaido to Japan's southern prefectures. There are more than 200 species of anglerfish worldwide.
Here is a detailed description of this weird fish from the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica at Wikisource:
"The wide mouth extends all round the anterior circumference of the head; and both jaws are armed with bands of long pointed teeth, which are inclined inwards, and can be depressed so as to offer no impediment to an object gliding towards the stomach, but to prevent its escape from the mouth.
The pectoral and ventral fins are so articulated as to perform the functions of feet, the fish being enabled to move, or rather to walk, on the bottom of the sea, where it generally hides itself in the sand or among sea-weed.
All round its head and also along the body the skin bears fringed appendages resembling short fronds of sea-weed, a structure which, combined with the extraordinary faculty of assimilating the color of the body to its surroundings, assists this fish greatly in concealing itself in places which it selects on account of the abundance of prey.
To render the organization of this creature perfect in relation to its wants, it is provided with three long filaments inserted along the middle of the head, which are, in fact, the detached and modified three first spines of the anterior dorsal fin. The filament most important in the economy of the angler is the first, which is the longest, terminates in a lappet, and is movable in every direction. The angler is believed to attract other fishes by means of its lure, and then to seize them with its enormous jaws. It is probable enough that smaller fishes are attracted in this way, but experiments have shown that the action of the jaws is automatic and depends on contact of the prey with the tentacle.
Its stomach is distensible in an extraordinary degree, and not rarely fishes have been taken out quite as large and heavy as their destroyer. It grows to a length of more than 5 ft.; specimens of 3 ft. are common.
The spawn of the angler is very remarkable. It consists of a thin sheet of transparent gelatinous material 2 or 3 ft. broad and 25 to 30 ft. in length. The eggs in this sheet are in a single layer, each in its own little cavity. The spawn is free in the sea. The larvae are free-swimming and have the pelvic fins elongated into filaments. "
(Lophiomus setigerus).
Also called "angler," "monkfish" and "seadevil." Grows from 1 to 1.5 meter. One of the most fearsome and ugly fishes in existence. Called "anglerfish" because the first ray of its spinous dorsal sticks out of the head like a line and bait, a device for attracting prey to the wide mouth. Head extremely big, mouth filled with large and sharp teeth. As the body is very soft, anko is not cut on a cutting board, but while hanging down. Lives on sandy mud bottom. Feeds on other fishes, octopus and squid. Found from Hokkaido to Japan's southern prefectures. There are more than 200 species of anglerfish worldwide.
Here is a detailed description of this weird fish from the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica at Wikisource:
"The wide mouth extends all round the anterior circumference of the head; and both jaws are armed with bands of long pointed teeth, which are inclined inwards, and can be depressed so as to offer no impediment to an object gliding towards the stomach, but to prevent its escape from the mouth.
The pectoral and ventral fins are so articulated as to perform the functions of feet, the fish being enabled to move, or rather to walk, on the bottom of the sea, where it generally hides itself in the sand or among sea-weed.
All round its head and also along the body the skin bears fringed appendages resembling short fronds of sea-weed, a structure which, combined with the extraordinary faculty of assimilating the color of the body to its surroundings, assists this fish greatly in concealing itself in places which it selects on account of the abundance of prey.
To render the organization of this creature perfect in relation to its wants, it is provided with three long filaments inserted along the middle of the head, which are, in fact, the detached and modified three first spines of the anterior dorsal fin. The filament most important in the economy of the angler is the first, which is the longest, terminates in a lappet, and is movable in every direction. The angler is believed to attract other fishes by means of its lure, and then to seize them with its enormous jaws. It is probable enough that smaller fishes are attracted in this way, but experiments have shown that the action of the jaws is automatic and depends on contact of the prey with the tentacle.
Its stomach is distensible in an extraordinary degree, and not rarely fishes have been taken out quite as large and heavy as their destroyer. It grows to a length of more than 5 ft.; specimens of 3 ft. are common.
The spawn of the angler is very remarkable. It consists of a thin sheet of transparent gelatinous material 2 or 3 ft. broad and 25 to 30 ft. in length. The eggs in this sheet are in a single layer, each in its own little cavity. The spawn is free in the sea. The larvae are free-swimming and have the pelvic fins elongated into filaments. "
[Anglerfish]
The anglerfish described above is only a female specimen. Males do not hunt on their own, but have turned into permanent parasitic mates of the female. When a young male anglerfish encounters a female, he latches onto her with his sharp teeth and gradually fuses his body with hers. He connects to her skin and bloodstream and looses his eyes and internal organs except the testes. Females may carry several males on their body.
[Ingredients for Anko-nabe]
Despite its hellish appearance, this fish tastes excellent!
Anko is best in winter when it is often eaten as anko nabe (hotpot) after simmering in a sauce of soy and mirin (warishita). The liver (an-kimo) is especially sought after (it is one of the chinmi, special delicacies of Japan) and many people think it tastes even better than foie gras. The cities of Mito in Ibaraki and Iwaki in Fukushima are known for their anko cuisine.