Description: Body fairly elongate and strongly compressed. Lower jaw projecting beyond the upper jaw. The tips of both jaws with conical dermal processes. Mouth with fang-like teeth. A single, fairly straight lateral line. Two dorsal fins; the first one very long; the second short; anal fin similar to but slightly shorter than second dorsal fin. Two finlets after the second dorsal and after the anal fin (not developed in juveniles). Pectoral fins short; pelvic fins very short. Dark brown or black with violet tints on the sides.
Global Distribution: Worldwide in tropical and subtropical waters except in the eastern Pacific and northern Indian oceans. Large-sized individuals also in colder waters. View Map
BIOLOGICAL FEATURES
Size: Maximum length 130 cm (standard length); common length 80.0 cm (SL).
Behavioural ecology: Migrates to midwater at night.
Population structure & migrations:
ECOLOGICAL FEATURES
Depth range: FishBase: 200 - 1200m.
Habitat: Benthopelagic to mesopelagic, on the continental and insular slopes or underwater rises, migrating to midwater at night.
Feeding habits: Feeds on squid, fish and crustaceans.
Trophic level: FishBase: 4.3
FISHERIES
Commercial interest: Minor commercial species. By-catch of the drifting longlines for black scabbardfish.
Conservation status: Global: Not evaluated.
Europe: Least concern.
Nutritional information & food safety:
Proximate composition per 100 g:
energy value 216.2 kcal (10.8% DRV)
protein 16.4 g (32.8% DRV)
fat 16.2 g (23.1% DRV)
Health warning: This fish contains high levels of indigestible wax esters, which may cause gastrointestinal problems.
REFERENCES
Brennan M.H., Gormley T.R. (1999). The Quality of Under-utilised Deep-water Fish Species. The National Food Centre Research Report No. 22. The National Food Centre, Dublin, Ireland, 22 pp.
Carpenter K.E., ed. (2002). The living marine resources of the Western Central Atlantic. Volume 3: Bony fishes part 2 (Opistognathidae to Molidae), sea turtles and marine mammals. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes and American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists Special Publication No. 5. FAO, Rome, pp. 1375-2127.
Hureau J.-C., ed. (1984-1985). Fishes of the North-Eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. UNESCO. Accessed through: Marine Species Identification Portal. World Wide Web electronic publication. http://species-identification.org (2014).
IUCN (2014). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.1. www.iucnredlist.org
Nieto A., Ralph G.M., Comeros-Raynal M.T., Kemp J., GarcÃa Criado M., Allen D.J., Dulvy N.K., Walls R.H.L., Russell B., Pollard D., GarcÃa S., Craig M., Collette B.B., Pollom R., Biscoito M., Labbish Chao N., Abella A., Afonso P., Ãlvarez H., Carpenter K.E., Clò S., Cook R., Costa M.J., Delgado J., Dureuil M., Ellis J.R., Farrell E.D., Fernandes P., Florin A-B., Fordham S., Fowle, S., Gil de Sola L., Gil Herrera J., Goodpaster A., Harvey M., Heessen H., Herler J., Jung A., Karmovskaya E., Keskin C., Knudsen S.W., Kobyliansky S., KovaÄić M., Lawson J.M., Lorance P., McCully Phillips S., Munroe T., Nedreaas K., Nielsen J., Papaconstantinou C., Polidoro B., Pollock C.M., Rijnsdorp A.D., Sayer C., Scott J., Serena F., Smith-Vaniz W.F., Soldo A., Stump E., Williams J.T. (2015). Europen Red List of Marine Fishes. IUCN and European Union, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 90 pp.
