ANIMAL SPECIES:A snaggletooth, Astronesthes psychrolutes (Gibbs & Weitzman, 1965)
Astronesthes psychrolutes has an elongate, slightly compressed body that lacks scales and a large mouth with long pointed teeth. This species occurs in temperate mesopelagic waters worldwide. In Australia it is known from off South Australia.
Identification
Astronesthes psychrolutes has an elongate, slightly compressed body that lacks scales. The dorsal fin origin is positioned well forward of the anal fin origin. A dorsal adipose fin is present behind the dorsal fin. The caudal fin is forked.
The species has a large mouth with long pointed teeth. There is a barbel on the chin and two rows of photophores on the lower side of the body. There is a small photophore below the front of the eye (suborbital photophore) and a larger one below the rear of the eye (the postorbital photophore).
It is black with purplish luminous areas on the side of the body.
Size range
It grows to 28 cm in standard length.Distribution
This species occurs in temperate mesopelagic waters worldwide.
In Australia it is known from off South Australia.
Distribution by collection data
Biomaps map of a Snaggletooth specimens in the Australian Museum collection
Classification
- Species:
- psychrolutes
- Genus:
- Astronesthes
- Family:
- Astronesthidae
- Order:
- Stomiiformes
- Class:
- Actinopterygii
- Subphylum:
- Vertebrata
- Phylum:
- Chordata
- Kingdom:
- Animalia
References
- Gibbs, R.H. & J.F. McKinney, 1988. High-count species of the Stomiid fish genus Astronesthes from the Southern Subtropical Convergence Region: Two new species and redescription of Cryptostomias (= Astronesthes) psychrolutes. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology Number 460: 1-25.
- Harold, A.S. 1999. Astronesthidae. in Carpenter, K.E. & V.H. Niem (Eds). FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes. The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. Volume 3. Batoid fishes, chimaeras and bony fishes part 1 (Elopidae to Linophrynidae). FAO, Rome. Pp. iii-vi, 1398-2068.
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