| Family: |
Epigonidae (Deepwater cardinalfishes) |
| Max. size: |
20 cm TL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
bathydemersal; marine; depth range 130 - 830 m |
| Distribution: |
Cosmopolitan. Western Atlantic: Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. Eastern Atlantic: along the west coast of Africa to the southern tip of the continent, also western Mediterranean to southern Adriatic Sea. Indian Ocean: Reunion (Ref. 33390). Western Pacific: southwest coast of Japan, southern Australia and eastern New Zealand. Central Pacific: Hawaiian Ridge (Ref. 31632). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 7-7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-10; Anal spines: 2-2; Anal soft rays: 8-9. Lacks opercular spines (Ref. 31632). Membranous edge at upper border of the gill cover is well developed. Caudal peduncle elongated, body not deep (Ref. 31632). Pyloric caeca 10-14. Preserved specimens are brownish to yellowish in color, dorsally darker. Numerous brown-black melanophores on scale pockets. |
| Biology: |
Adults benthic on the continental slope and collected with bottom trawls (Ref. 7321). Juveniles are pelagic in depths of 130-145 and 350-425 m (Ref. 9563). Feed on small fishes and planktonic invertebrates (Ref. 4738). Oviparous (Ref. 4738). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 11 July 2012 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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