Gigantactinidae

family of fish (Gigantactinidae)

Gigantactis is a genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Gigantactinidae, the whipnose anglers. The fishes in this genus have a circumglobal distribution in the deep waters of the tropical and temperate zones of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Rhynchactis is a genus of deep-sea anglerfish in the family Gigantactinidae, containing three species found worldwide at depths greater than . Adult female Rhynchactis reach a standard length (SL) of and have a dark-colored, streamlined body and a relatively small head bearing a very long illicium (the "fishing rod" formed by the first ray of the dorsal fin). Unlike almost all other deep-sea anglerfishes, the illicium bears no bioluminescent esca (the "lure") at the tip. The mouth is almost devoid of teeth, and the inside of both jaws are covered by numerous white glands that are unique to thi