| Family: |
Stomiidae (Barbeled dragonfishes), subfamily: Melanostomiinae |
| Max. size: |
16 cm TL (male/unsexed); 15.5 cm SL (female) |
| Environment: |
bathypelagic; marine; depth range 0 - 1050 m |
| Distribution: |
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. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 22-26; Anal spines: 0-0; 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). |
| Biology: |
Mesopelagic species (Ref. 3984, 75154). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 19 July 2019 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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