Description

Dorsal spines (total): 12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14 - 17; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 13 - 16. Live specimens dark with a silver cast.

Common Names

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Scombriformes

Family: Ariommatidae

Genus: Ariomma

Species: Ariomma melana (Ginsburg, 1954)

Climate Zone

Location

• Eastern Atlantic: Mauritania to Angola; possibly straying to southern Africa (Ref. 4412). Western Atlantic: New York and northern Gulf of Mexico in USA to Panama (Ref. 7251), [extending to the northern coast of South America according to Ref. 13628], up to Uruguay (Ref. 47377). Not occurring in the West Indies (Ref. 7251).

Biology

Inhabits deep waters, usually on soft bottoms (Ref. 2683). Feeds mainly on small crustaceans (Ref. 3547). Larvae and young are epipelagic, adults demersal or benthopelagic (Ref. 47377).

Habitat

bathydemersal

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Threat to Humans

Harmless