Description

Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 25 - 29; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 18 - 24; Vertebrae: 27 - 29. Body black dorsally, silvery on sides (Ref. 6622). Branchiostegal rays: 7-8 (Ref. 36622). Body deep, heavy, sides straight. Large adults very dark brown (Ref. 37108).

Common Names

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Trachichthyiformes

Family: Diretmidae

Genus: Diretmus

Species: Diretmus argenteus Johnson, 1864

Climate Zone

Location

• Circumglobal: In tropical to temperate waters. Eastern Atlantic: Iceland and British Isles to South Africa including Canary Islands and Ascension Island (Ref. 6744). Northwest Atlantic: Canada (Ref. 5951). Not recorded from the Mediterranean (Ref. 6744).

Biology

Juveniles are found from near surface to about 250 m to more than 1,000 m (Ref. 6536). Largest adults may be benthopelagic (Ref. 9851). Adults are plankton-eaters like the other members of the family (Ref. 6744). Oviparous, with planktonic larvae (Ref. 36622).

Habitat

bathypelagic

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Threat to Humans

Harmless