How Do Male Anglerfish Fuse With Female Partners?

TL;DR

Male anglerfish fuse permanently with females to ensure a strong reproductive bond, losing their adaptive immune system in the process. This unique mating strategy evolved to guarantee that once a mate is found, nothing separates them, but scientists are unsure how they avoid the health consequences of this fusion.

Transcript

Thanks to Brilliant for supporting this episode of SciShow. Go to Brilliant.org/SciShow to check out their course: Knowledge and Uncertainty. [♩INTRO] While us humans tend to enjoy a good cuddle, we also generally like to have at least a little bit of personal space. But not anglerfishes! In some species, the males literally become one with their p... Read More

Key Insights

• 🕵️‍♀️ Male anglerfish become permanently fused with their female partners after finding them.
• 👻 Fusion allows for a deep bond and ensures nothing separates the mating pair.
• 😚 Anglerfish have lost their adaptive immune system and can't recognize or remember pathogens.
• ❓ The absence of an adaptive immune system in humans would be fatal without treatment.
• 😚 Scientists are unsure how anglerfish avoid the consequences of losing their immune system.
• 🆘 Studying anglerfish could potentially help find solutions for immunocompromised humans.
• ⌛ Anglerfish have evolved this unique mating strategy multiple times in different species.

Questions & Answers

Q: How do male anglerfish find their mates?

Male anglerfish sniff out their love interests by tracking a species-specific pheromone that females emit. Once they find them, they bite them.

Q: What happens to the male anglerfish after fusion?

After fusion, the male's mouth dissolves, and his tissues fuse with the female. They share a circulatory system, and the male's purpose becomes fertilizing the eggs.

Q: Why have anglerfish evolved this mating strategy?

The fusion and permanent bond evolved to ensure that once a male finds a mate in the vast darkness of the ocean, nothing separates them.

Q: How do anglerfish survive without an adaptive immune system?

It is still unknown how anglerfish avoid the adverse effects of losing their adaptive immune system. They might have a strong innate immune system or possess another form of adaptive immunity yet to be discovered.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Anglerfish species have unique mating habits where the males fuse with the females and share everything, including a circulatory system.

• The fusion evolved to ensure that if a male finds a mate, nothing gets between them.

• Anglerfish have lost their adaptive immune system, which makes them unable to recognize and remember pathogens.