Common Name
Poll's Argentine
Year Described
Cohen, 1958
Identification
Dorsal Fin: 12-14
Anal Fin: 13-14
Pelvic Fin: 12-13
Pectoral Fin: 19-22 (usually 21)
Gill Rakers: 21-25 rakers on lower limb of first arch
Vertebrae:
Lateral Line Scales: 48-51
Branchiostegal Rays: 5
Body very slender and elongate, tapering posteriorly. Head small (>3 times in SL). Eye moderate. Mouth is moderate and subterminal. Maxillae meet anteriorly or are separated by a small gap. Teeth absent on maxilla and lower jaw but present on palatine, vomer, and tongue. Adults with teeth on dentary. Snout about equal to orbit diameter. Anus separated from anal fin origin by a distance equal or less than half caudal peduncle width. Pectoral fin small and ventrally located; reaches dorsal origin. Dorsal fin base midway between snout and caudal fin base. Pelvic fin origin under rear margin of dorsal fin, and closer to the pectoral base than the anal fin. Adipose fin small and narrow and inserted over posterior rays of anal fin. Body scales smooth and thin, without any prickles.
Color
Body pale brown with a silvery stripe along lateral line and a darker stripe above that. There are often several dark blotches along the dorsum, especially in young fishes. Top of head dark. Peritoneum silvery. Swimbladder not silvery.
Size
Maximum size to 141mm SL.
Habitat
Taken over soft and hard bottoms from 175-225m.
Range
Equatorial waters off Brazil. Also in the tropical E. Atlantic.
References
Cohen, D.M. 1958. A revision of the fishes of the subfamily Argentininae. Bulletin of the Florida State Museum, Biological Sciences v. 3 (no. 3): 93-172.