Scopeloberyx robustus
No common name
NS
GNR
Collection Details
Specimens
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Taxonomic Hierarchy
Melamphaidae (Ridgeheads)
Scopeloberyx
Scopeloberyx robustus
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
Fusiform and sub-cylindrical body shape; relatively smooth head; large head pores; pelvic fins located close behind pectoral fin insertions; margins of head ridges not serrate; internarial spine absent; jaw teeth in bands up to 2-4 teeth wide; 5-7 gill rakers on epibranch and 15-19 on lower limb of first arch; supramaxilla well developed; head length 36-45% SL; upper jaw length 19-24% SL; eye diameter 2.1-4.4% SL; body depth 24-31% SL; predorsal length 45-55% SL; horizontal distance between pectoral and pelvic fin insertions 5% or less SL; caudal peduncle length 21-27% SL; caudal peduncle depth 8-11% SL; pectoral fin with 12-14 rays; dorsal fin with 2-3 spines and 10-13 rays; pelvic fin with 1 spine and 7-8 rays; anal fin with 1 spine and 7-8 rays, originating under second- or third-to-last dorsal fin ray; 24-27 scales in lateral series; 3-4 cheek scales; 23-27 vertebrae
Dark brown to black
Distribution
Eastern coast of North America to the Caribbean Sea, including the Gulf of Mexico
Habitat Associations
Mesopelagic and bathypelagic depths in tropical to temperate seas
Biology
73 mm SL
Mesopelagic and bathypelagic at 340-1200 m depth (Ref. 36665). Oviparous, with planktonic eggs and larvae (Ref. 36655). Significant morphological variation between Indo-Pacific and other populations.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders. Oviparous (Ref. 36655).
IUCN Red List Status: Data Deficient (DD), assessed 2014-07-15. Resilience: Medium (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
Ebeling 1962
Ebeling 1986
Ebeling and Weed 1973
Murdy et al. 1983
Ebeling, A.W. (1986) Melamphaidae. p. 427-432. In M.M. Smith and P.C. Heemstra (eds.) Smiths' sea fishes. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
Parin, N.V. and A.N. Kotlyar (1998) Melamphaes suborbitalis and Scopeloberyx robustus (Melamphaeidae) from the Russian part of the sea of Okhotsk. J. Ichthyol. 38(6):481-482.
Sandknop, E.M. and W. Watson (1996) Melamphaidae: bigscales. p. 692-711. In H.G. Moser (ed.) The early stages of fishes in the California Current region. California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations (CalCOFI) Atlas No. 33. 1505 p.
Bogutskaya, N.G. (2007) Preliminary assignment of coordinates to type localities in the Catalog of Fishes. Unpublished dbf file.
Macpherson, E. (1989) Influence of geographical distribution, body size and diet on population density of benthic fishes off Namibia (South West Africa). Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 50:295-299.
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