Why does the concept of an individual male lifespan become almost irrelevant for deep-sea anglerfish like ceratioids?
Answer
Because the male fuses with the female, becoming a parasitic appendage sustained by her bloodstream
For deep-sea ceratioid males, the pursuit of independent existence ends when they achieve reproductive pairing. Once the tiny male locates and bites onto the female, initiating the fusion of tissues, his independent existence ceases. He becomes physically and physiologically integrated into the female, deriving all necessary sustenance from her bloodstream. In this parasitic state, his survival is entirely linked to the female's ability to survive and forage; thus, the limiting factor for the reproductive unit's longevity is the female's lifespan, rendering any calculation of a separate male lifespan meaningless.
Related Questions
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