In the pitch-black depths of the ocean’s midnight zone, where food is scarce and mates even scarcer, anglerfish have evolved an extraordinary mating strategy: sexual parasitism. Tiny male anglerfish, sometimes less than one-tenth the size of females, attach to a female’s body, fusing with her circulatory system and providing sperm on demand—sometimes for life. This fusion can involve multiple males on a single female, maximizing reproductive opportunities in the deep sea.
This extreme adaptation relies on more than just their behavior. Genetic changes, including the loss of certain immune system genes, prevent females from rejecting the males as foreign tissue. These evolutionary innovations were key in allowing anglerfish to colonize the deep ocean, likely during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum—a period of intense global warming about 50–35 million years ago.
Anglerfish’s unique reproductive strategy illustrates how ecological challenges can drive evolutionary innovation. Their immune system adaptations and ability to fuse tissue without rejection may even offer insights into human medicine, including organ transplantation.
Today, over 200 anglerfish species thrive in the deep ocean, showcasing the remarkable resilience and adaptability of life in one of Earth’s most extreme environments.
I will have less of a presence on The Torrid Tribe Community. We have very little activity here. This is a sign to me that members have found other social media resources that they are spending more time in. I am happy to see less censorship on social media in general. I started The Torrid Tribe 4 years ago when we were in a state of censorship and lockdowns. It was a difficult time and this was a haven and sanctuary for so many.
I will be lightly posting things here to give you all content to see. This community will always be open to everyone and will resurrect to its full capacity if subscribers show they want it fully operational again with full time administration.
Thank you for being a part of this community. Sending each of you hugs.
K-
Creator of The Torrid Tribe
Passion is the vibe that I want to bring to this community. I want to enjoy your passion for whatever it is you are into. Let's share what we learn - and learn what each other shares. Foodies unite. I love to cook and share recipes. I will regularly post pictures and recipes are available upon request. I would enjoy discussing your past, present and future journeys. Nature is God and Mother Earth's exquisite gift to us. Share a picture and we will enjoy the beauty through your eyes. Let's get deep and consensual with great subjective matter. This is a non judgemental safe place to let everything hang out.
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Thank you and hugs.
Torri
