Narcetes stomias
No common name
NS
GNR
Collection Details
Specimens
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Taxonomic Hierarchy
Alepocephalidae (Slickheads)
Narcetes
Narcetes stomias
Description
This species account was compiled from
Composite (multiple sources) (McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. University of Texas Press, Austin.)
and processed using AI-assisted text extraction.
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Characters
Moderately elongate, moderately slender, and compressed, with a moderately short, pointed snout and dorsal fin in advance of anal fin. Snout length is about equal to eye length. Maxilla extends considerably posterior to orbit. Two supramaxillae are located on dorsal margin of maxilla. Dentaries and premaxilla have several series of teeth, vomer has one to five pairs of teeth, and maxilla and palatine have one to several series of teeth. Teeth are lacking on either side of symphysis of lower jaw. First gill arch has 3 to 5 gill rakers on epibranch, 1 in corner, and 10 to 14 on lower limb. Branchiostegal rays number 8 or 9. Pectoral fin is small, is not fanlike, and has 9 to 11 rays. Dorsal fin base is longer than anal fin base. Dorsal fin has 18 to 20 rays, and anal fin has 14 to 17 rays. Pelvic fin has bony splint and 8 to 9 rays. Body is covered with deciduous scales that are seldom present on specimens. Lateral line scales number 53 to 73, and transverse scale rows anterior to dorsal fin origin number 30 to 47. Trunk vertebrae number 25 to 28, and caudal vertebrae number 21 to 23. Pyloric caecae range from 8 to 11.
Color is blackish.
Distribution
In the western North Atlantic it occurs from New England to the eastern Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.
Habitat Associations
Occurs in the North Atlantic, captured from 1,500 to 2,300 m and is most abundant between 1,800 and 2,100 m.
Biology
Maximum known size is 530 mm SL.
Benthopelagic to benthic (Ref. 51024, 75154). Found on the continental slope (Ref. 75154).
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2014-07-10. Resilience: Low (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Phylogeny and Morphologically Similar Fishes
Distinguished from other species of the family by the combination of characters described.
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: of no interest.
References
Grey 1956
Grey 1958
Rass 1971
Markle and Quero 1984
Markle 1986
Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen (1966) Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p.
Markle, D.F. (1986) Alepocephalidae. p. 218-223. In M.M. Smith and P.C. Heemstra (eds.) Smiths' sea fishes. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
Markle, D.F. and Y.I. Sazanov (1990) Alepocephalidae. p. 246-264. In J.C. Quero, J.C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha (eds.) Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA). JNICT, Lisbon; SEI, Paris; and UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 1.
Sazonov, Y.I. and D.F. Markle (1990) Alepocephalidae. p. 111-114. In O. Gon and P.C. Heemstra (eds.) Fishes of the Southern Ocean. J.L.B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology, Grahamstown, South Africa. 462 p.
Hoese, D.F., D.J. Bray, J.R. Paxton and G.R. Allen (2006) Fishes. In Beasley, O.L. and A. Wells (eds.) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35 Australia: ABRS & CSIRO Publishing, 2178 p.
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