| Family: |
Sternoptychidae (Marine hatchetfishes), subfamily: Sternoptychinae |
| Max. size: |
8.3 cm SL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 20.9 g |
| Environment: |
bathypelagic; marine; depth range 100 - 2056 m |
| Distribution: |
Eastern Atlantic: Portugal to Senegal; reported from Namibia (Ref. 27121). Western Atlantic: 40°N-10°N and 15°S-35°S; specimens taken off the Guianas (Ref. 13608). Northwest Atlantic: Canada (Ref. 5951). Indian Ocean: 0°-35°S. Western Pacific: 35°N-35°S. Southeast Pacific: 30°S-35°S. Recently reported in Aden Gulf, Arabian Sea (Ref. 85285). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-9; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 12-12. Deep body, lower opercular spine straight downward and curved outward. Upper opercular spine short, pointing outward (Ref. 37473). |
| Biology: |
An oceanic and mesopelagic species concentrated at 300-600 m by day and 100-300 by night (Refs. 4462, 4739). A selective dusk-time feeder mainly on conchoecid ostracods, to lesser extent on copepods, decapod larvae, fish larvae, etc (Ref. 4739). Adult photophore developing at about 15 mm SL (Ref. 4739). Also Ref. 58302. |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 15 July 2014 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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