Thyrsitoides marleyi Fowler, 1929
Black snoek
Thyrsitoides marleyi
photo by CSIRO

Family:  Gempylidae (Snake mackerels)
Max. size:  200 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthopelagic; marine; depth range 0 - 400 m
Distribution:  Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea to South Africa and New Caledonia, north to Japan. Recently reported from Tonga (Ref. 53797).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 17-19; Dorsal soft rays (total): 16-17; Anal spines: 1-1; Anal soft rays: 16-17; Vertebrae: 34-34. Two lateral lines, originating above the upper angle of gill opening, branching below the 4th dorsal-fin spine or slightly behind it, upper line running along the first dorsal-fin base and ending below about the end of the first dorsal fin, lower line abruptly curved backward from bifurcation, running mid laterally to the base of the middle caudal-fin ray. Body color is dark brown with slightly metallic reflections, sometimes slightly paler on belly. Dorsal fin membranes with black markings.
Biology:  Mesobenthopelagic, down to depths of 400 m or more, often at the surface at night around Okinawa, Japan (Ref. 6181). The largest populations are probably on the slope of seamounts or ridges (Ref. 6181). Feeds on a variety of mesopelagic fish, squid and crustaceans (Ref. 6181).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.