Polyipnus clarus

Polyipnus clarus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Stomiiformes
Family: Sternoptychidae
Genus: Polyipnus
Species:
P. clarus
Binomial name
Polyipnus clarus
Harold, 1994 [2]

Polyipnus clarus, commonly known as the stareye hatchetfish or slope hatchetfish, is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Sternoptychidae. It occurs in deep water in the western Atlantic Ocean from the Gulf of Maine southward to the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. It most commonly occurs between 300 and 400 metres (1,000 and 1,300 ft) but can range from 40 and 830 metres (100 and 2,700 ft).[3]

Description

Polyipnus clarus is a short, deep-bodied fish with a laterally compressed body and a maximum length of about 56 mm (2.2 in). The mouth is nearly vertical, the snout is short and the eyes are large, laterally-facing and non-tubular. The dorsal surface is dark with a triangular bar and the flanks silvery. There are photophores behind and below the eye, on the flanks and belly.[3]

Status

Polyipnus clarus is a common mesopelagic, demersal, shoaling species and faces no particular threats. For these reasons, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".[1]

References

  1. ^ a b Harold, A.S. (2015). "Polyipnus clarus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
  2. ^ Bailly, Nicolas (2015). "Polyipnus clarus Harold, 1994". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
  3. ^ a b McEachran, John; Fechhelm, Janice D. (2013). Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico, Vol. 1: Myxiniformes to Gasterosteiformes. University of Texas Press. p. 40. ISBN 978-0-292-75705-9.