Albatrossia pectoralis (Gilbert, 1892)
Giant grenadier
photo by Orlov, A.

Family:  Macrouridae (Grenadiers or rattails)
Max. size:  210 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 86 kg; max. reported age: 56 years
Environment:  bathydemersal; marine; depth range 140 - 3500 m, non-migratory
Distribution:  North Pacific: northern Japan to the Okhotsk and Bering seas, east to the Gulf of Alaska, south to northern Baja California in Mexico.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 2-2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7-9; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 131. Snout low, slightly protruding beyond the large mouth, without a spinous terminal scute. Scales small, slightly oblong, with moderate-sized median ridge, without spines or with few weak spinules, and 0 to 5 much lower, non-spinulated ridges laterally on exposed field. Swim bladder small, with 2 retia mirabilia. Gray-brown on head and body, each scale with a prominent dark posterior border, fins and lateral line darker; black in mouth, gill cavity, and on peritoneum (Ref. 6885). Branchiostegal rays: 6-6; pyloric caeca: 12-16;
Biology:  Young apparently bathypelagic to some degree but become bathydemersal at a size of 50-60 cm (Ref. 1371). Adults feed mainly on cephalopods, fish and shrimps; other food items include ctenophores, echinoderms, worms, crabs, and amphipods (Ref. 1371). Oviparous, with planktonic larvae (Ref. 36385).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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