Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) >
Stomiiformes (Lightfishes and dragonfishes) >
Sternoptychidae (Marine hatchetfishes) > Sternoptychinae
Etymology: Argyropelecus: Greek, argyros = silvered, silver + Greek, pelekys = axe (Ref. 45335). More on author: Norman.
Environment / Climate / Range
Ecology
Marine; bathypelagic; depth range 300 - 1000 m (Ref. 58018), usually 400 - 600 m (Ref. 4054). Deep-water; 41°N - 54°S
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 12.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 4462)
Eastern Atlantic: Portugal to South Africa; northern record from south Iceland (Ref. 4739). Western Atlantic: 40°N-40°S, including the Gulf of Mexico (Ref. 27768). One record from the Patagonian region of Argentina (Ref. 27363). Indian Ocean: 0°- 40°S. Eastern Pacific: 15°S-40°S. Western Pacific: 20°N-40°S.
An oceanic and mesopelagic species (Ref. 4739). No indication of diel migration (Ref. 4739). Adult complement of photophores acquired at about 1.4 cm SL (Ref. 4739).
Quéro, J.-C., J.C. Njock and M.M. de la Hoz, 1990. Sternoptychidae. p. 275-282. In J.C. Quero, J.C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha (eds.) Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA). JNICT, Lisbon; SEI, Paris; and UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 1.
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 90363)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
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Estimates of some properties based on empirical models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82805): PD
50 = 0.5078 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01838 (-0.19934 - 0.23611), b=3.00088 (2.88276 - 3.11900), based on LWR estimates for this family-BS (Ref.
93245).
Trophic Level (Ref.
69278): 3.3 ±0.3 se; Based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
69278): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low to moderate vulnerability (31 of 100) .