| Family: |
Gempylidae (Snake mackerels) |
| Max. size: |
72.5 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
benthopelagic; marine; depth range 230 - 920 m |
| Distribution: |
Southeast Pacific: seamounts of Nazca and Sala y Gomez Ridges and at Easter Island. Southwest Pacific: Tasman Sea (from 23° to 37°S along east coast of Australia and on seamounts), and from southern Fiji. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 19-20; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15-17; Anal spines: 2-2; Anal soft rays: 12-14; Vertebrae: 34-34. Most of the body is naked except for the wedge-shaped stripe of squamation extending forward from the caudal peduncle along the horizontal part of the lower lateral line and a few scales along the posterior part of the upper lateral line. Pyloric caeca 8 to 10. Pelvic fins entirely absent at over 25 cm SL. Body color is grayish or brownish with metallic tint; fins blackish or gray. |
| Biology: |
Probably schooling, migrates to midwater at night. Feeds on fishes (myctophids, Maurolicus, eels, macrourids, carangids, emmelichthyids, etc.), prawn and squid; large prey items are swallowed in parts (Ref. 6202). Matures at about 25 cm standard length. No special fishery but appears as a bycatch of deep-water prawn trawl fishery in New South Wales, Australia. |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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