# This is very interesting (anglerfish pheromones) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 6, 2007, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-very-interesting-anglerfish-pheromones/406966 "2007-06-06T08:39:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cryptoderk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cryptoderk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cryptoderk)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2007, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-very-interesting-anglerfish-pheromones/406966/1 "2007-06-06T08:39:11Z")
From Wikipedia At birth, male ceratioids are already equipped with extremely well developed olfactory organs that detect scents in the water. They have no digestive system, and thus are unable to feed independently. They must find a female anglerfish, and quickly, or else they will die. The sensitive olfactory organs help the male to detect the pheromones that signal the proximity of a female anglerfish. When he finds a female, he bites into her flank, and releases an enzyme which digests the skin of his mouth and her body, fusing the pair down to the blood vessel level. The male then atrophies into nothing more than a pair of gonads that release sperm in response to hormones in the female’s bloodstream indicating egg release. This is an extreme example of sexual dimorphism. However, it ensures that when the female is ready to spawn, she has a mate immediately available. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2007, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-very-interesting-anglerfish-pheromones/406966/2 "2007-06-06T09:06:01Z")
Bloody feminists! ---
**Author:** ![justqwerty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/59ef9b/32.png) [@justqwerty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justqwerty)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-very-interesting-anglerfish-pheromones/406966/3 "2007-06-07T22:38:50Z")
> [@](#): > > "This is very interesting " is it OK to use a title like this ? ---
**Author:** ![Jayrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-very-interesting-anglerfish-pheromones/406966/4 "2007-06-07T22:40:21Z")
Depends how you define “OK”. It’s not a bannable offense, but it’s highly annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2007, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-very-interesting-anglerfish-pheromones/406966/5 "2007-06-07T22:42:42Z")
Moved from IMHO to MPSIMS. Once I get it over there, I’ll modify the title. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2007, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-very-interesting-anglerfish-pheromones/406966/6 "2007-06-08T07:38:41Z")
I’ve heard of this before - apparently to begin with, marine biologists identified the attached males as parasites or something like that. But think about it for a moment - you don’t have to do anything - the only response ever required of you by your missus is _ejaculation_. “Darling, did you lock the door?” \ “Do you prefer the flowered wallpaper or the stripes?” \ What’s the downside?