Scientific Name
Trichiurus auriga

Common Name
Pearly hairtail

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 3; Dorsal soft rays (total): 106-116; Anal soft rays: 80. Body extremely elongate, compressed and tapering to a point. Mouth very large with a small dermal process at the tip of each jaw. Pelvic and caudal fins absent. Lateral line originating at the upper margin of the gill cover, running obliquely to behind the tip of the pectoral fins, then parallel to the ventral contour of the body. Fresh specimens are pearl white and slightly dusky dorsally; the margins of the dorsal and anal fins dusky in formalin.

Classification

Classified By

Klunzinger, 1884

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Cutlassfishes (Trichiuridae)

Distribution

Region

Western Indian Ocean

Distribution

Western Indian Ocean: Red Sea and west coast of India. Western Pacific: Timor Sea. This species has long been synonymized with Trichiurus lepturus.

Range

31°N - 14°S, 32°E - 139°E

Environment

Climate

Deep-water

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

250 m

Depth To - meters

350 m

Zone

benthopelagic

Environment

Marine; benthopelagic; depth range 250 - 350 m (Ref. 6181)

Trophic Level

4.17 s.e. 0.73 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

35.0 cm

Common Length

23.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5020 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

Low vulnerability (18 of 100)

Resilience

Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Assuming tmax>10)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated