Common Name
Southern Smoothhead
Year Described
Barnard, 1923
Identification
Dorsal Fin: 16-19
Anal Fin: 17-19
Pectoral Fin: 9-13
Pelvic Fin: 7-8
Lateral Line Scales:
Gill Rakers: 20-27 (total)
Pyloric Caeca:
Body elongate with a very large head. Eyes similar in size to snout and placed far forward on the head. Rear margin of jaw ends at the middle or posterior margin of orbit. Dorsal fin origin about even with anal fin. Pectoral and pelvic fins small.
Color
Black to dark brown, with a slightly darker head.
Size
Maximum size to 60cm SL.
Habitat
Epibenthic or demersal from 1,000-2,600m over soft bottoms.
Range
Poorly known: 39° to 10° N in the North Atlantic. Known from the Bear Seamount region.
References
Moore, J.A., Vecchione, M., Collette, B.B., Gibbons, R., Hartel, K.E., Galbraith, J.K., Turnipseed, M., Southworth, M. and Watkins, E. 2003. Biodiversity of Bear Seamount, New England seamount chain: results of exploratory trawling. Journal of Northwest Atlantic Fishery Science, 31, p. 363.
Whitehead, P.J.P. , M.-L. Bauchot, J.-C. Hureau, J.G. Nielsen and E. Tortonese. 1986. Fishes of the North-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Vol. I-III. UNESCO. Fishes of the North-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. http://species-identification.org