Anoplogaster cornuta (Valenciennes, 1833)
Common fangtooth
photo by Bañón Díaz, R.

Family:  Anoplogastridae (Fangtooths)
Max. size:  18 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  bathypelagic; marine; depth range 2 - 4992 m
Distribution:  Worldwide in tropical to temperate seas. In the western Atlantic it is also known from the Flemish Cap (Ref. 5951).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 17-20; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 7-9; Vertebrae: 28. Body uniformly blackish or dark blackish brown (Ref. 27363). Lateral line an open groove, bridged by scales at intervals. Swim bladder present. Juveniles: long cephalic and preopercular spine; big eye; teeth on jaws small, multiserial on premaxilaries; no teeth on palatine and vomer; gill rakers long and slender. Adult: no cephalic and preopercular spines; eye small; gill rakers tooth-like in groups on bony bases.
Biology:  Bathypelagic (Ref. 58426). Adults occur mainly between 500 and 2,000 m, but ranging from near the surface (young) to 5,000 m. Form schools, swim in small groups or solitary. Carnivorous (Ref. 27155), feeding on crustaceans when young and on fish mainly when adults (Ref. 4737). Serve as food for pelagic fishes such as tuna, albacore, and marlin (Ref. 5951). Oviparous, with planktonic larvae (Ref. 36624).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 14 May 2013 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:   
 


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