Images: A Goosefish's Ethereal Veil of Eggs

By Megan Gannon, News Editor | September 26, 2013 05:38pm ET

Gauzy Spectacle

The monkfish, or goosefish, lays its eggs in the form a veil that can be up to 60 feet long.

Egg Veil

Sometimes, the egg veil is described as being as similar to bubble wrap. Each veil the monkfish lays is dotted with about a million eggs.

Ethereal Eggs

This egg veil was laid by a female monkfish on display at the New England Aquarium in Boston on Sept. 23. The bottom-feeding fish can be spotted in the sand, underneath its ethereal creation.

Monkfish Egg Veil

Typically, fertilization results in just 6 or 7 offspring, said aquarist Bill Murphy of the New England Aquarium.

Beast Behind the Beauty

This is the goosefish that creates the incredible egg veil.

Author Bio

Megan Gannon, Live Science Contributor: Megan has been writing for Live Science and Space.com since 2012. Her interests range from archaeology to space exploration, and she has a bachelor's degree in English and art history from New York University. Megan spent two years as a reporter on the national desk at NewsCore. She has watched dinosaur auctions, witnessed rocket launches, licked ancient pottery sherds in Cyprus and flown in zero gravity. Follow her on Twitter and Google+.; Megan Gannon, Live Science Contributor on

previous | next

Gauzy Spectacle

Credit: New England Aquarium

Egg Veil

Credit: New England Aquarium

Ethereal Eggs

Credit: New England Aquarium

Monkfish Egg Veil

Credit: New England Aquarium

Beast Behind the Beauty

Credit: New England Aquarium

Images: A Goosefish's Ethereal Veil of Eggs

Gauzy Spectacle

Egg Veil

Ethereal Eggs

Monkfish Egg Veil

Beast Behind the Beauty

Watch 1,400 Tarantula Babies Emerge from Their Mother's Egg Sac

Man Tries to Smuggle 19 Raptor Eggs Through Heathrow Airport — And 2 Hatched

Game Over, Man: This Australian Wasp Lays Chest-Bursting 'Alien' Eggs Inside Caterpillars

Spider Eggs Look Like Rock Candy (But Don't Eat Them)

Gauzy Spectacle

Egg Veil

Ethereal Eggs

Monkfish Egg Veil

Beast Behind the Beauty