Idiacanthus antrostomus explained

Idiacanthus antrostomus, also known as the Pacific blackdragon or black sea dragon,^[1] is a species of barbeled dragonfishes noted for having ultrablack skin, similar to pigments like Vantablack.

The fish has tightly packed melanosomes allowing its skin to absorb 99.95% of light of wavelengths common in its habitat.^{[2] [3]}

It has been found at depths between 500m (1,600feet) and 2000m (7,000feet)^[4] along the West Coast of the United States and in the Gulf of Mexico.^[5]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Nature Picture Library Black Sea Dragon (Idiacanthus antrostomus) fishing lure in front of mountain, attracts prey, deep sea - Norbert Wu. 2021-02-03. Nature Picture Library. en.
2. Web site: 2020-07-16. How some superblack fish disappear into the darkness of the deep sea. 2021-02-03. Science News. en-US.
3. Davis. Alexander L.. Thomas. Kate N.. Goetz. Freya E.. Robison. Bruce H.. Johnsen. Sönke. Osborn. Karen J.. 2020-09-07. Ultra-black Camouflage in Deep-Sea Fishes. Current Biology. English. 30. 17. 3470–3476.e3. 10.1016/j.cub.2020.06.044. 0960-9822. 32679102. 220575700. free.
4. Sutton, T.T., Grzimek's animal life encyclopedia:Fishes I-II Volume 4-5, Pages 421-430
5. Milkova. V.. August 2016. Range Records for Ten Species of Stomiiform, Aulopiform, and Myctophiform Fishes in British Columbia, Canada. Northwestern Naturalist. 97. 2. 113–123. 10.1898/NWN15-11.1. 88545210. 1051-1733.