Scientific Name
Optivus elongatus

Common Name
Slender roughy

Biology
Nocturnally active; inhabits cracks and crevices during the day. Feeds on small mobile benthic organisms (Ref. 26966), by drifting up to its prey and swallowing it whole with a sideways snap of the large extensible mouth (Ref. 26966).

Classification

Classified By

G?nther, 1859

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Sawbellies (Beryciformes)

Family

Slimeheads (Trachichthyidae)

Distribution

Region

Southwestern Pacific

Distribution

Southwestern Pacific: Restricted to New Zealand.

Range

Unknown

Environment

Climate

Deep-water

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

Unknown m

Depth To - meters

Unknown m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated

Trophic Level

3.49 s.e. 0.50 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

True

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

72.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.6250 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: of no interest

Vulnerability

High to very high vulnerability (71 of 100)

Resilience

Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated