1. Environment of depths of ocean are characterized by high pressure, low temperature, absence of light, calmness of water, absence of phytoplankton and other producers, scarcity of food and thus animals staying here show many adaptations.
2. Due to extreme pressure the bodies of deep- sea fish and other animals are very much compressed.
3. The bony skeletons are much reduced except for jaws. They have watery muscles. Some deep-sea fishes exhibit greatly enlarged eyes which act like telescope.
4. They are highly effective as in depths there is less light. Their retina is composed of a number of tiers of rods, presumably arranged to absorb all the limited light that enters the eye. However, the eye-size is small.
5. Some benthic fishes have eyes located on only one side of the body. E.g. Sole fish.
6. Many deep-sea animals are bioluminescent, i.e. they produce their own light by means of luminous organs.
7. In anglerfish, the light is used as a bait to attract prey and also for species and sex recognition.
8. The mouth of deep-sea fish is the enormous, which enables them to gulp large sized prey.
9. Many of the deep-sea animals have long appendages, abundant spines, stalks or other
