The female anglerfish carries a modified dorsal spine — the illicium — tipped with a bioluminescent lure (the esca), colonized by light-producing symbiotic bacteria. Below roughly 1000 m no sunlight reaches the water, so this glow is the only light source around, and hungry prey swim straight toward it instead of away.
This 2D side view runs the same attraction model as its 3D companion: every prey fish wanders randomly until it drifts inside the esca's attraction radius (which grows with brightness), at which point it steers toward the light. Any prey that gets within strike range triggers a jaw snap and respawns elsewhere in the dark.
- Esca brightness — raises light intensity and widens the attraction radius, exactly like the glow slider on the 3D model.
- Prey fish count — how many wandering fish populate the scene.
- Manual lure control — drag the esca yourself instead of letting it bob on autopilot; reach is limited by the illicium's length, same as the 3D rig.