Scopelosaurus lepidus (Krefft & Maul, 1955)
Blackfin waryfish
Scopelosaurus lepidus
photo by Orlov, A.

Family:  Notosudidae (Waryfishes)
Max. size:  36.4 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthopelagic; marine; depth range 70 - 2500 m, oceanodromous
Distribution:  North Atlantic: subarctic region to the subtropical latitudes.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-12; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 16-19; Vertebrae: 59-61
Biology:  Adults found between 500-800 m depth while the oceanic young stages between 70-200 m (Ref. 6689). Bathypelagic (Ref. 58426). The young feeds mainly on copepods while the large ones on euphausiids, hyperiids and mesopelagic fishes. Adults undertake far-ranging feeding migrations (outside the spawning season) to the slope areas of Europe, North America and West Africa. Spawning probably occurs in midwater far offshore, with a concentration in the Sargasso Sea (Ref. 6689).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 21 May 2013 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:   
 


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