Scientific Name
Photostylus pycnopterus

Common Name
Starry smooth-head

Biology
Meso- and bathypelagic (Ref. 58302). Found in areas with steeply inclined slopes. Ovarian eggs relatively large (1.8 mm in diameter) and few (96 in a female of 10 cm).

Classification

Classified By

Beebe, 1933

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Smelts (Osmeriformes)

Family

Slickheads (Alepocephalidae)

Distribution

Region

Circumglobal. Eastern Atlantic

Distribution

Circumglobal. Eastern Atlantic: Iceland, and from France south to Morocco including Madeira and Azores Islands; Mauritania south to Guinea Bissau (Ref. 4460). Reported from Western Australia and New South Wales (Ref. 7300).

Range

65°N - 35°S, 180°W - 180°E

Environment

Climate

Deep-water

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

1000 m

Depth To - meters

2000 m

Zone

bathyalpelagic

Environment

Marine; bathypelagic; depth range 1000 - 2000 m (Ref. 4460)

Trophic Level

3.23 s.e. 0.42 Based on size and trophs of closest relatives

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

11.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 1.0000 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 to moderate vulnerability (29 of 100)

Resilience

Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Fec=96)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated