Rhadinesthes decimus (Zugmayer, 1911)
Slender snaggletooth
Rhadinesthes decimus
photo by National Museum of Marine Science and Technology, Taiwan

Family:  Stomiidae (Barbeled dragonfishes), subfamily: Astronesthinae
Max. size:  41 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  bathypelagic; marine; depth range 0 - 4900 m
Distribution:  Eastern Atlantic: Bay of Biscay to Mauritania and off Namibia; reported from Iceland (Ref. 12462). Also tropical Indian Ocean, eastern and western South Pacific, and central North Pacific.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-13; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 18-21. Teeth on upper jaw slender, all short, widely spaced; 10 to 12 on premaxillary, 14 to 30 teeth on maxillary. No well-developed canines in jaws. Pelvic insertion nearer to tip of snout than to caudal base. Dorsal origin well behind pelvic insertion. Dorsal adipose fin absent.
Biology:  An oceanic (Ref. 2802) and mesopelagic-bathypelagic species (Ref. 4465). Usually found deeper than 500 m during the day (Ref. 2802). Feeds on midwater fishes and crustaceans (Ref. 2802).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 21 May 2013 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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