| Family: |
Stomiidae (Barbeled dragonfishes), subfamily: Astronesthinae |
| Max. size: |
8.2 cm SL (male/unsexed); 7 cm SL (female) |
| Environment: |
bathypelagic; marine; depth range 120 - 600 m |
| Distribution: |
Eastern Atlantic: Morocco south to Namibia. Western Atlantic: USA to the Caribbean Sea including the Gulf of Mexico; from French Guiana to Brazil. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal soft rays (total): 17-20; Anal soft rays: 14-16. Body moderately elongate and slender. Chin barbel is less than 1 mm long and tapers to a point. Maxillary teeth comblike, closely spaced. Teeth on vomer well developed. Serial photophores not broken in small groups, relatively large. Body silvery (Ref. 37039). |
| Biology: |
Fairly common in deep oceanic waters, usually living deeper than 500 m during the day. Smaller individuals migrate to the near-surface or even surface waters at night. Feeds on midwater fishes and crustaceans (Ref. 2802). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 20 May 2013 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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