Teleostei (teleosts) >
Beryciformes (Sawbellies) >
Melamphaidae (Bigscale fishes or ridgeheads)
Etymology: Melamphaes: Greek, melan, -anos = black + Greek, amphi = both side (Ref. 45335).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathypelagic; depth range 200 - 2250 m (Ref. 51657). Deep-water; 34°N - 31°S
Circumtropical in North Atlantic (3°56'N, 12°33'W and 10°21'N, 17°59'W in the eastern Atlantic). Indo-Pacific: including Japan (Ref. 599) and New Zealand (Ref. 5755). Southeast Pacific: Chile (Ref. 9068).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 7.9 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 126117); max. published weight: 11.10 g (Ref. 126117)
Dorsal spines (total): 3; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13 - 15; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 7 - 8. The species is characterized by the following: first gill arch with 20-22 rakers; vertebrae 29 (28-30 reported by Ebeling, 1962), abdominal vertebrae 11 (rarely, 12); two ventrolateral-oriented spurs on the haemal arch of the first caudal vertebra; D III 14-15 (rarely, III 13); P 15; soft rays in the ventral fin 7; ventral fin starts after the vertical line of the posterior margin of the pectoral fin basement (rarely, from this vertical line); anal fin starts under the last ray of the dorsal fin or just after the dorsal fin; operculum with 4 scales (Ref. 87970).
Body shape (shape guide): fusiform / normal.
This species is caught by open-mouth nets at 4228-0 m, with original sampling done by closing-mouth nets at 1000 m (Ref. 87970).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Maul, G.E., 1990. Melamphaidae. p. 612-618. In J.C. Quero, J.C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha (eds.) Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA). JNICT, Lisbon; SEI, Paris; and UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 2. (Ref. 4502)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
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