Rexea antefurcata Parin, 1989
Long-finned escolar
photo by FAO

Family:  Gempylidae (Snake mackerels)
Max. size:  72.5 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthopelagic; marine; depth range 230 - 920 m
Distribution:  Southeast Pacific: seamounts of Nazca and Sala y Gomez Ridges and at Easter Island. Southwest Pacific: Tasman Sea (from 23° to 37°S along east coast of Australia and on seamounts), and from southern Fiji.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 19-20; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15-17; Anal spines: 2-2; Anal soft rays: 12-14; Vertebrae: 34-34. Most of the body is naked except for the wedge-shaped stripe of squamation extending forward from the caudal peduncle along the horizontal part of the lower lateral line and a few scales along the posterior part of the upper lateral line. Pyloric caeca 8 to 10. Pelvic fins entirely absent at over 25 cm SL. Body color is grayish or brownish with metallic tint; fins blackish or gray.
Biology:  Probably schooling, migrates to midwater at night. Feeds on fishes (myctophids, Maurolicus, eels, macrourids, carangids, emmelichthyids, etc.), prawn and squid; large prey items are swallowed in parts (Ref. 6202). Matures at about 25 cm standard length. No special fishery but appears as a bycatch of deep-water prawn trawl fishery in New South Wales, Australia.
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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