Lepidopus caudatus (Euphrasen, 1788)
Silver scabbardfish
Lepidopus caudatus
photo by García Rodríguez, M.

Family:  Trichiuridae (Cutlassfishes), subfamily: Lepidopodinae
Max. size:  210 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 8,000.0 g; max. reported age: 8 years
Environment:  benthopelagic; marine; depth range 42 - 620 m, oceanodromous
Distribution:  Eastern Atlantic: France and western Mediterranean to Senegal, including Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands and offshore seamounts; Cape Fria, Namibia to Agulhas Bank, South Africa including northern Walvis Ridge. Southern Indian Ocean: seamounts 30 to 35°S. Southwest Pacific: Australia (New South Wales to southern West Australia) and New Zealand. Southeast Pacific: Peru. A doubtful record from Cape San Lucas, Mexico.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal soft rays (total): 98-110; Anal spines: 2-2; Anal soft rays: 59-66; Vertebrae: 105-114. Second anal-fin spine plate-like. Pyloric caeca 20 - 29. Body uniformly silvery (Ref. 6181). Pelvic fin very small (Ref. 35388).
Biology:  Occur on continental shelf, along its edge and upper slope down to 400 m (600 m in Australia), usually over sandy and muddy bottoms from 100 to 250 m (over 300 m in Australia). Depth range from 333-620 m in the eastern Ionian Sea (Ref. 56504). Migrate into midwater at night. Form schools; occasionally found inshore in upwelling of deep water when it appears at surface. Feed on crustaceans, small squid and fish (Ref. 6768). Eggs and larvae are pelagic (Ref. 6768).
IUCN Red List Status: Data deficient (DD); Date assessed: 19 May 2013 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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