Teleostei (teleosts) >
Stomiiformes (Lightfishes and dragonfishes) >
Stomiidae (Barbeled dragonfishes) > Malacosteinae
Etymology: Aristostomias: Greek, aristos = the best + Greek, stoma = mouth (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Gilbert.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathypelagic; depth range 0 - 1219 m (Ref. 50610). Deep-water; 66°N - 27°N, 180°W - 113°W
Eastern Pacific: southern British Columbia, Canada to central Baja California, Mexico (Ref. 2850), including the Bering Sea (Ref. 35921).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 23.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 2850); max. reported age: 7 years (Ref. 4525)
Feed on crustaceans (Ref. 4525). Probably spawn in spring (Ref. 35921). Apparently, undergo diurnal migration (Ref. 35921). Oviparous, with planktonic eggs and larvae (Ref. 35921).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Eschmeyer, W.N., E.S. Herald and H. Hammann, 1983. A field guide to Pacific coast fishes of North America. Boston (MA, USA): Houghton Mifflin Company. xii+336 p. (Ref. 2850)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: bycatch
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