Ventrifossa macropogon Marshall, 1973
Longbeard grenadier
photo by Fischer, L.G.

Family:  Macrouridae (Grenadiers or rattails)
Max. size:  45 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  bathydemersal; marine; depth range 439 - 1000 m, non-migratory
Distribution:  Western Central Atlantic: off Guyana into the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico, and in Atlantic off northeastern Florida. Common to the south of the Gulf of Mexico, but relatively rare in the Gulf and Gulf stream.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 2-2; Anal spines: 0-0. Snout short, blunt. Scales fairly large, covered with slender conical spinules in quincunx order. Snout with black margins along its leading edge, supranarial ridges, median nasal ridge, and dorsally on suborbital. Gums of lower jaw blackish; first dorsal fin uniformly blackish to dusky.
Biology:  A benthic species found on the continental slope (Ref. 75154).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 09 October 2018 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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