Ferocious

 

 

Whoa, now that's an impressive set of teeth!

 

Stephanie photographed this Longnose Lancetfish (Alepisaurus ferox) washed ashore at Dillon Beach today (2 February 2023).   

 

And here's the entire fish:

 

 

 

This is a deep water species that occasionally washes ashore.

I like this description from Deep-water Fishes of California (Fitch and Lavenberg 1968):

 

"Although the barracuda-like body topped with a sailfish-like fin distinguishes the lancetfish from all other denizens of the deep, the longnose lancetfish received its common name from its lancetlike fangs."

 

[In case you're wondering, the dorsal fin is folded down in the photo, so it is not visible.]

 

Also:

 

"One of the most interesting features of the lancetfish is its voracious appetite.  In spite of their impressive dentures, lancetfish seldom mutilate their prey, the fishes and other creatures found in their stomachs are usually in near-perfect condition.  Many descriptions of new (to science) fish, octopus, and squid species have been based upon items found in lancetfish stomachs."

P.S.  The scientific name is informative — "Alepisaurus" means scale-less and lizard-like, while "ferox" means ferocious.  Watch out!