Opisthoproctus soleatus Vaillant, 1888
Barrel-eye
photo by Welter-Schultes, F.

Family:  Opisthoproctidae (Barreleyes or spookfishes)
Max. size:  10.5 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  bathypelagic; marine; depth range 300 - 800 m
Distribution:  Circumglobal in tropical to temperate waters. Eastern Atlantic: western Ireland to Mauritania and from Sierra Leone to Angola (Ref. 6542). South China Sea (Ref.74511)
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-13; Anal spines: 0-0. Sides of body dark; head below and behind eye sprinkled with large melanophores; snout translucent ventrally, transparent dorsally (Ref. 6597). Anal fin either with 2-3 rudimentary rays or not visible externally (Ref. 6597).
Biology:  Mesopelagic (Ref. 58302). Probably not exhibiting vertical migration (Ref. 6686). The limits of its distribution coincide with the 400m-isotherm for 8°C (Ref. 6542).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 10 August 2012 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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