Scientific Name
Paradiplospinus antarcticus

Common Name
Antarctic escolar

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 36 - 39; Dorsal soft rays (total): 24-34; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 25 - 31; Vertebrae: 64 - 67. Body is extremely elongate. Mouth with fang-like teeth, 3-6 fangs anteriorly in upper jaw and 1 fang on each side of the lower jaw. Pyloric caeca 6. Color is silvery white without any conspicuous marks except 40 - 50 narrow longitudinal lines of pale melanophores; the dorsal-fin base, opercular region and caudal-fin origin dark brownish.

Classification

Classified By

Andriashev, 1960

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Snake mackerels (Gempylidae)

Distribution

Region

Southern Ocean

Distribution

Southern Ocean: circumpolar. In the belief that there was only a single species of Paradiplospinus, many authors used the name Paradiplospinusgracilis as including Paradiplospinus antarcticus.

Range

31°S - 79°S, 180°W - 180°E

Environment

Climate

Deep-water

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

0 m

Depth To - meters

2830 m

Zone

bathyalpelagic

Environment

Marine; bathypelagic; depth range 0 - 2830 m (Ref. 6181)

Trophic Level

4.07 s.e. 0.53 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

52.0 cm

Common Length

35.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.7500 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

Moderate to high vulnerability (47 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated