Scientific Name
Helicolenus dactylopterus

Common Name
Blackbelly rosefish

Biology
Found in soft bottom areas of the continental shelf and upper slope. Feed on both benthic and pelagic organisms (crustaceans, fishes, cephalopods, and echinoderms) (Ref. 4570). From Ref. 36265, "Blackbelly rosefish have intraovarian gestation. Fertilization is internal, as free spermatozoa were found primarily in resting ovaries from July through early December with peak occurrence in September through November in the Western Atlantic. There was a delay of 1-3 months before fertilization, as oocyte development did not begin until December. Occurrence during January through April of early-celled embryos, the most advanced stage observed, and postovulatory follicles indicated that oocyte development was rapid. Egg development occurs in a clear gelatinous matrix secreted into the ovarian cavity. The reproductive mode is a zygoparous form of oviparity, intermediate

Classification

Classified By

Delaroche, 1809

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Scorpionfishes and Flatheads (Scorpaeniformes)

Family

Rockfishes, rockcods and thornyheads (Sebastidae)

Distribution

Region

Western Atlantic

Distribution

Western Atlantic: Nova Scotia, Canada to Venezuela. Eastern Atlantic: Iceland (Ref. 12462) and Norway to the Mediterranean and the Gulf of Guinea, including Madeira, the Azores, and the Canary Islands; also Walvis Bay, Namibia to Natal, South Africa (Ref. 4313).

Range

70°N - 46°S

Environment

Climate

Deep-water

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

50 m

Depth To - meters

1100 m

Zone

bathydemersal

Environment

Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 50 - 1100 m (Ref. 41452), usually 150 - 600 m (Ref. 84778)

Trophic Level

3.81 s.e. 0.63 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

47.0 cm

Common Length

25.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5010 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: commercial

Vulnerability

Moderate to high vulnerability (52 of 100)

Resilience

Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (K=0.06-0.2; tm=13-16; tmax=43)

Threat To Humans

Venomous (Ref. 57406)

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated