Coryphaenoides zaniophorus (Vaillant, 1888)
Thickbeard grenadier
Coryphaenoides zaniophorus
photo by FAO

Family:  Macrouridae (Grenadiers or rattails)
Max. size:  40 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  bathydemersal; marine; depth range 400 - 2375 m, non-migratory
Distribution:  Central Atlantic: Western Central Atlantic: off Chesapeake Bay, Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean. Eastern Central Atlantic: Mauritania to Côte d'Ivoire.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 2-2; Anal spines: 0-0. Head large, completely scaled, including the ventral surfaces of the snout; snout short, narrow, with stout scutes at its tip and lateral angles; mouth small, restricted laterally. Scales with numerous (over 100 in large specimens) short, stout spinules arranged in V-shaped rows. Pyloric caeca short, 10 to 15. Overall color is medium to dark brown; fins generally blackish.
Biology:  Feeds primarily on benthic organisms, especially gammarian amphipods and, to a lesser extent, lamellibranchs, copepods, polychaetes, ostracods, isopods mysids, Natantia, and echinoderms (Ref. 1371). Minimum depth record from Ref. 1371.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 11 July 2012 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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