Dragonfish

The photo and the x-ray image show the external and internal morphology of a barbeled dragonfish that lives in the deep sea and attracts prey with its luminescent chin barbel. The x-ray image shows a barbeled dragonfish that has eaten a large lanternfish whole. This and other stomach content analyses support the hypothesis that the functional head joint greatly reinforces the maneuverability of the head in order to ingest large prey items whole.

Nalani Schnell, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle