| Family: |
Channichthyidae (Crocodile icefishes) |
| Max. size: |
43 cm TL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
benthopelagic; marine; depth range 200 - 800 m |
| Distribution: |
Southern Ocean: Circum-Antarctic on Antarctic continental shelf. Northernmost records from vicinity of South Orkney Islands and Antarctic Peninsula. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 5-8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 38-42; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 32-36. Supraorbital ridge not crenulated. Middle lateral line restricted to caudal peduncle; lower lateral line originating from in front of anal-fin origin to above sixth anal ray. Maxilla extending to below anterior third of eye. Opercular bones with 2 upper and 3 lower spines. Preopercular-mandibular canal not joined to temporal canal. Pelvic fins extending beyond anal-fin origin. In life, pale grey, whitish ventrally. Differentiated by the dorsoventrally oval shape; the prominent distally rounded rostrum, pseudo-rostrum and pseudo-antirostrum; the clearly defined excisura ostii and pseudo-excisura ostii; the acutely constricted collum; and the well developed colliculli.
Ontogeny: The excisura ostii and the pseudo-excisura ostii become deeper and the crista inferior becomes less distinct with an increase in the fish size. |
| Biology: |
Common in shallower waters of the continental shelf, especially on banks less than 250 m deep in areas where local upwelling increase food supply (Ref. 6390). Postlarvae and pelagic juveniles are also found in the upper 100 m (Ref. 5200). Food consists of fishes and krill. Spawn in winter (Ref. 6390). Larval pelagic phase is long (Ref. 28915). Prey to penguins and seals (Ref. 6390). Utilized as a food fish (Ref. 5200). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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