Luminous slickhead (Aulastomatomorpha phospherops)

Scientific name: Aulastomatomorpha phospherops Alcock, 1890

The Luminous slickhead (Aulastomatomorpha phospherops) is a marine fish of the family Alepocephalidae. Native range: Indo-West Pacific, Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, and Coral Sea.

Biology

Dorsal soft rays (total): 21; Anal soft rays: 33 - 41; Vertebrae: 52. Head naked, covered with soft, tough skin. Cephalic lateralis system with 5 pores each in the supraorbital, preopercular, and mandibular series and 4 in posttemporal series. No trace of supratemporal commissure. Two pores joined by a short, dark canal on lachrymal on each side of snout above the maxillae. Snout elongate with upper jaw shorter than the lower jaw. Head narrow. Body with small, barely or non-imbricate scale pockets. Branchiostegal rays 5 (?). Pyloric caeca 4.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Aulastomatomorpha phospherops
Family
Alepocephalidae (Slickheads)
Order
Osmeriformes (Smelts)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
28.0
Depth range
1717–2020 m (5633–6627 ft)
Environment
Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 1717 - 2020 m
Climate
Deep-water
Distribution
Indo-West Pacific: Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, and Coral Sea.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Resilience
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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