| Family: |
Bathylagidae (Deep-sea smelts) |
| Max. size: |
25 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
bathypelagic; marine; depth range 600 - 7700 m |
| Distribution: |
Pacific: off the Pacific coast of northern Japan and the Bering Sea to the Gulf of Alaska southward to northern Baja California, Mexico. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8-13; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 15-25; Vertebrae: 44-51. Body slender and compressed. Anal fin base long and about twice the length of dorsal fin base. Eye diameter about twice snout length. Upper end of gill slit reaching above midline of side of body. No knob-like process in interorbital space. Dorsoposterior edge of operculum not curved inward. Traces of detached scales black. Color black or dark brown; bluish black on head and ventral surfaces, and on peritoneum (Ref. 6885). |
| Biology: |
Does not undertake a diurnal, vertical migration. Feeds heavily on crustaceans (Ref. 4525). Oviparous, with planktonic eggs and larvae (Ref. 35604). Minimum cdepth from Ref. 028981. |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.
