Description

Although it may look like it is covered in scales, it in fact is covered by a thick, transparent coating of unknown substance.
Extremely large, fang-like teeth give the fish a slightly protruded lower jaw which makes catching prey easy for this deep-sea predator.
The viperfish is lined with three different types of photophores which some speculate is used to lure in unsuspecting prey.
They have microscopic spheres without a pigment layer that are scattered over the dorsal side, large spheres with a pigment coat, reflectors, and lens, and finally, large, bell-shaped organs with a pigment coat, reflectors, and lens that are grouped together in rows along the dorsal surface.
Photophores can also be seen along the ventral and lateral surface of the fish.

Upper Oligocene
Menilite Formation
Outer Carpathians, Krepac, Poland
70mm fish on 100mm shale slab
Fish,