Aspidophoroides olrikii Lütken, 1877
Arctic alligatorfish
photo by Bull. U.S. Bur. Fish.

Family:  Agonidae (Poachers), subfamily: Anoplagoninae
Max. size:  8.6 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; brackish; marine; depth range 0 - 632 m
Distribution:  Arctic to Northwest Atlantic and Northwest to Northeast Pacific: Hudson Bay and Labrador in Canada and Greenland. Also in the Barents Sea, Kara Sea, White Sea and Siberia (Ref. 4700); Chukchi Sea, Bering Strait, Bering Sea and Anadyr Gulf (Ref. 6876).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 5-7; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 5-7. Caudal fin rounded. Upper parts brownish-grey, with a few dark spots or bands, lower parts light (Ref. 4700).
Biology:  Found on sand and mud bottoms, at temperatures mostly below 0°C, rarely to 2-3°C or more and salinities of 33-35 ppt (Ref. 4700). Benthic (Ref. 58426). Minimum depth reported at 7m (Ref. 5951). Feeds on small amphipods, ostracods and nemertine worms (Ref. 4700).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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