Wolf Trap Anglerfish
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Basic Information

Supposedly this thing is a fish, but it doesn't even look like it. The wolf-trap anglerfish (aka the wonderfish) is a deep-sea fish with an unusual jaw structure. It has a long "fishing line" attached to its head with a bioluminescent lure to attract prey, and a second "line" protruding from further down it's back. What sets the wolf-trap apart from other anglerfish is that the huge upper jaw folds away to the side. The part of the skull with the teeth can be repositioned in radical ways. It can then extend the jaw quickly to completely encircle the prey, coming from the right and left sides in addition to from above. The upper jaw closes over the much smaller lower jaw, creating a sealed compartment the prey is held in until completely swallowed and digested.

See also: 13 Real Animals Lifted Directly Out of Your Nightmares

Sources

Bibliography
1. Website: Wikipedia
2. Website: Cracked
3. Website: Tree Of Life

Game and Story Use

  • These are really creepy, alien-looking fish. If you were swimming and one came up to you, you might be hard pressed to figure out which end was the front, or to tell where the folded-up jaw was going to strike from. Intelligence checks might be in order to avoid ambush or similar attack bonuses.
  • A giant version would make an incredible sea monster, dangling a light in front of swimmers and submarines, then just suddenly swallowing them whole from out of nowhere.
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