Teleostei (teleosts) >
Stomiiformes (Lightfishes and dragonfishes) >
Stomiidae (Barbeled dragonfishes) > Melanostomiinae
Etymology: Eustomias: Greek, eu = good + Greek, stoma = mouth (Ref. 45335).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathypelagic; depth range 0 - 1050 m (Ref. 11333). Deep-water; 36°N - 35°S, 18°E - 137°W
Southeast Atlantic: south and west of Cape of Good Hope, South Africa. Indo-Pacific: East Africa to the Society and Marquesan islands, north to southern Japan, south to Western Australia.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 16.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3984); 15.5 cm SL (female)
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 22 - 26; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 32 - 37. A single, very small terminal bulb 0.3-0.6% SL. Barbel short 20-35% SL in specimens over 8 cm and some smaller ones, shorter in some developing specimens up to about 8 cm. Three pairs of short filaments; each filament of 1 pair with a prominent, elongate distal bulblet that may be larger than the terminal bulb; a pair slender , with closely spaced very small bulblets; a pair simple, with few or no occlusions, and usually the longest. Axis of stem moderately pigmented, becoming darker before bulb and very dark over 1 side of bulb, where pigment forks and extends along axis of the pair of filaments with large bulblets. External chevron-shaped or roundish striated areas unpigmented. Dorsal paired spots between occiput and dorsal-fin origin 9 or 10 (rarely 7 or 8) (Ref. 11333).
Body shape (shape guide): elongated.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Gibbs, R.H. Jr., 1986. Melanostomiidae. p. 236-243. In M.M. Smith and P.C. Heemstra (eds.) Smiths' sea fishes. Springer-Verlag, Berlin. (Ref. 3984)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
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