Description

Dorsal spines (total): 20 - 21; Dorsal soft rays (total): 16 - 19; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 15 - 19; Vertebrae: 36 - 38. Body greatly elongated and compressed. Mouth large with fang-like teeth. Tips of both jaws with dermal processes. Color is blackish brown; dorsal and anal fins pale brown; buccal and branchial cavities and peritoneum black.

Common Names

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Scombriformes

Family: Gempylidae

Genus: Nealotus

Species: Nealotus tripes Johnson, 1865

Climate Zone

Biology

Oceanic, epipelagic to mesopelagic (Ref. 47377), migrating to the surface at night (Ref. 6181). Feeds on myctophids and other small fishes, squid and crustaceans (Ref. 6181). Matures at 15 cm SL (Ref. 36731).

Habitat

bathypelagic

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Threat to Humans

Harmless