Chlorophthalmus agassizi Bonaparte, 1840
Shortnose greeneye
photo by Gloerfelt-Tarp, T.

Family:  Chlorophthalmidae (Greeneyes)
Max. size:  40 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  bathydemersal; brackish; marine; depth range 50 - 1000 m
Distribution:  Circumglobal in temperate and tropical regions. Eastern Atlantic: Spain to at least 19°S, including the Mediterranean, Canary Islands and Cape Verde. Western Atlantic: southern New England, USA and northern Gulf of Mexico to northern South America (Ref. 7251). Northwest Atlantic: Canada (Ref. 5951).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-11; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 8-10. Body slightly compressed. The head is small; eyes large, diameter greater than snout length. Color is yellow-fawn, with irregular oblique brown blotches on the sides. The operculum is silver-black; anus and gill cavity black; belly stippled black; caudal fin base and inner ventral fin rays black.
Biology:  Found on the continental shelf and upper slope over mud and clay bottom. Catch data indicate a schooling habit. Feeds mainly on bottom-living invertebrates. Also known to feed on pelagic crustaceans like euphausiids, decapods and mysids (Ref. 27637). A hermaphroditic species. Marketed fresh and sometimes made into fishmeal (Ref. 6688). Young are pelagic, living near the surface, the adults are demersal, living between 50 and 1000 m depth (Ref. 47377).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 13 April 2015 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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