Swallowers and Gulpers: Saccopharyngiformes

Swallowers and gulpers are poor swimmers. It is thought that they draw prey close to them by means of glowing lures on their tails and then quickly open their mouths to suck in food. Some swallowers and gulpers eat only other fishes, but others eat fish and invertebrates (in-VER-teh-brehts), or animals without backbones. One type lures shrimps with a scent (SENT) released from glands around its mouth. When the shrimp comes close enough, the swallower bites it with a hollow fang that injects venom, or poison. The fish then swallows the dead or dying shrimp whole.