Chiasmodontidae

black swallower

Chiasmodon niger

Swallows prey larger than itself

• Black
• Cross-climate
• Temperate
• Tropical
• Northern Hemisphere
• Regional distribution
• Marine fish
• Atlantic Ocean
• North America
• South America
• Elongated
• Medium

The black swallower (Chiasmodon niger) is a species of deep sea fish in the family Chiasmodontidae. It is known for its ability to swallow fish larger than itself. It has a worldwide distribution in tropical and subtropical waters, in the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zones at a depth of 700–2,745 m (2,297–9,006 ft).