Hymenocephalus aterrimus Gilbert, 1905
Blackest whiptail
Hymenocephalus aterrimus
photo by Schwarzhans, W.

Family:  Macrouridae (Grenadiers or rattails)
Max. size:  20 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthopelagic; marine; depth range 340 - 1348 m
Distribution:  Widespread but patchy and discontinuous. Atlantic: Caribbean and continental slope of northern South America. Pacific: off subtropical western and eastern Australia, several islands in the southern Pacific (New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Wallis & Futuna, Marquesas Islands), and off Hawaii. Not recorded from eastern Atlantic nor Indian Ocean.
Diagnosis:  This species is distinguished by the following characters: a black-colored large-headed fish, with head size 21-25% TL; pelvic fin rays 13-14; pectoral fin rays 13-16; projecting snout, 20-24% HL; head bones are papery thin and often distorted; no barbel; small orbit diameter, 20-24% HL; interorbital width 60-70% HW; infraorbital width 20-25% HL; postorbital-preopercular interspace 10-14% HL; preopercular supporter is very small and forked; gill rakers 21-25; ventral striae reaching to about ? from pelvic fin bases to periproct; small otolith with rounded outline, no predorsal lobe developed; colliculi separated; otholith length to height (OL:OH), 1.0-1.2; total colliculum length to pseudocolliculum length (TCL:PCL) is 2.2-2.8 (Ref. 98298).
Biology:  Found on the continental slope (Ref. 75154). Benthopelagic (Ref. 58302).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 09 October 2018 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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