Slender blacksmelt (Bathylagus pacificus) fish species and information / pictures of Slender blacksmelt - Bathylagus pacificus

Slender blacksmelt (Bathylagus pacificus) fish species information

Scientific Name
Bathylagus pacificus

Common Name
Slender blacksmelt

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8-13; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 15 - 25; Vertebrae: 44 - 51. Body slender and compressed. Anal fin base long and about twice the length of dorsal fin base. Eye diameter about twice snout length. Upper end of gill slit reaching above midline of side of body. No knob-like process in interorbital space. Dorsoposterior edge of operculum not curved inward. Traces of detached scales black. Color black or dark brown; bluish black on head and ventral surfaces, and on peritoneum (Ref. 6885).

Classification

Classified By

Gilbert, 1890

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Smelts (Osmeriformes)

Family

Deep-sea smelts (Bathylagidae)

Distribution

Region

North Pacific

Distribution

North Pacific: off the Pacific coast of northern Japan and the Bering Sea to the Gulf of Alaska southward to northern Baja California, Mexico.

Range

61°N - 27°N, 140°E - 114°W

Environment

Climate

Deep-water

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

0 m

Depth To - meters

7700 m

Zone

bathyalpelagic

Environment

Marine; bathypelagic; depth range 0 - 7700 m (Ref. 50610), usually 600 - 800 m (Ref. 28981)

Trophic Level

3.27 s.e. 0.42 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

25.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5078 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Unknown

Vulnerability

Moderate to high vulnerability (52 of 100)

Resilience

Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.14 (very tentative estimate))

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated