What primary advantage does the parasitic attachment strategy offer the deep-sea male anglerfish?
It eliminates the individual mortality risk associated with continually searching for a mate in the energy-poor abyss
The bizarre adaptation of parasitic attachment for deep-sea males serves as a highly effective solution to one of the greatest challenges of the abyss: finding a mate in an energy-poor, expansive environment. By permanently fusing with a female, the male circumvents the high statistical risk and tremendous energy expenditure associated with free-swimming courtship and searching for a suitable partner. This fusion effectively guarantees reproductive success for the remainder of the male's existence, as he is sustained by the female's metabolism, ensuring that his genetic material is available whenever the female is ready to spawn.
