Pacific viperfish
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Natural History
A viperfish’s needlelike teeth can be very long, and its hinged lower jaw allows it to swallow large prey. Its strong jaw muscles help grab and hold the prey. Viperfish may live up to 8 years old and are found in Monterey Bay.
Conservation
Anything that finds its way into the ocean, whether it's tossed away as trash, washes off a beach or falls off a boat, may eventually make its way to the deep sea. It's important to realize that the deep sea is not so far away that it's beyond the reach of human activities. Living creatures in the deep are affected by what we do at the surface.
Cool Facts
In the dark, other fish can’t see the viperfish’s fanglike teeth—its mouth becomes an unseen trap.