Description

Dorsal spines (total): 26 - 40; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0. Off white, tan or grey in color, lateral line darker; soft rayed portion of anal dark brown (Ref. 6594). Mouth bluish in front, black behind (Ref. 6594). Opercular flap and underside of head bluish (Ref. 6594). Broad separation of the anterior and posterior nostrils. First dorsal spine well posterior to the root of the pectoral fin. Large mouth, maxillary reaching the border of spectacle and much longer preoral snout (Ref. 37108).

Common Names

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Notacanthiformes

Family: Notacanthidae

Genus: Polyacanthonotus

Species: Polyacanthonotus africanus (Gilchrist & von Bonde, 1924)

Climate Zone

Biology

Found at bathyal and abyssal depths. Feeds on benthic polychaetes, cnidarians, amphipods (Ref. 4449).

Habitat

bathypelagic

Conservation Status

Not Evaluated

Threat to Humans

Harmless