Abyssal grenadier

The abyssal grenadier, Coryphaenoides armatus, is an abyssal fish of the genus Coryphaenoides, found in all the world's oceans, at depths between 800 and 4,000 m. Its adult length is 20 to 40 cm, although Fishbase[2] gives lengths up to 1 m. The abyssal grenadier's body is unique in that it contains two dorsal spines and about 124 dorsal soft rays, which are the flexible jointed rays supporting a fin nearest to the back in the spinal column. It has no anal spines, but has 115 anal soft rays along its body. The head and eyes of this fish are very large, while the mouth is very small. The color of the abyssal grenadier is brown apart from the abdomen, which is bluish.[3]

Abyssal grenadier
Abyssal grenadier, Coryphaenoides armatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Gadiformes
Family: Macrouridae
Subfamily: Macrourinae
Genus: Coryphaenoides
Species:
C. armatus
Binomial name
Coryphaenoides armatus
(Hector, 1875)
Synonyms[2]
  • Macrurus armatus Hector, 1875
  • Nematonurus armatus (Hector, 1875)
  • Coryphaenoides variabilis Günther, 1878
  • Macrurus asper Goode & Bean, 1883
  • Macrurus goodii Günther, 1887
  • Coryphaenoides gigas Vaillant, 1888
  • Nematonurus gigas (Vaillant, 1888)
  • Nematonurus cyclolepis Gilbert, 1896
  • Coryphaenoides cyclolepis (Gilbert, 1896)
  • Dolloa cyclolepis (Gilbert, 1896)
  • Macrurus cyclolepis (Gilbert, 1896)
  • Moseleya cyclolepis (Gilbert, 1896)
  • Macrurus suborbitalis Gill & Townsend, 1897
  • Coryphaenoides suborbitalis (Gill & Townsend, 1897)
  • Nematonurus suborbitalis (Gill & Townsend, 1897)
  • Nematonurus abyssorum Gilbert, 1915
  • Coryphaenoides abyssorum (Gilbert, 1915)

Overview

Coryphaenoides armatus occurs at the deep-slope, on the upper continental rise between 2,000 m and 4,700 m. Its diet changes as it matures, from benthic invertebrates such as crustaceans and holothuroids when young to mesopelagic and bathypelagic fish, sea urchins and cephalopods when adult. Examination of the stomach contents of specimens collected by trawling below 2,600 m deep in the Hudson Canyon showed that an important proportion of the diet of C. armatus is caught in the deep mesopelagic and bathypelagic regions. Very few ripe females, and no spent individuals have been collected, and this is suggestive of this species being semelparous.[1]

  • On the Davidson Seamount at 2253 meters depth
  • Abyssal grenadier, Coryphaenoides armatus

See also

References
  1. Fernandes, P.; Cook, R.; Florin, A.-B.; Lorance, P.; Nielsen, J. & Nedreaas, K. (2015). "Coryphaenoides armatus". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T18125776A60791529. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T18125776A60791529.en.
  2. Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2018). "Coryphaenoides armatus" in FishBase. February 2018 version.
  3. Cohen, D. M.; Inada, T.; Iwamoto, T.; Scialabba, N. (1990). Gadiform Fishes of the World. FAO Species Catalogue. 10. ISBN 92-5-102890-7.

Further reading
  • Tony Ayling & Geoffrey Cox, Collins Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand, (William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1982) ISBN 0-00-216987-8
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