Margrethia obtusirostra
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 Drawing by Dr Tony Ayling
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| Margrethia obtusirostra Jespersen & Tåning, 1919 |
Margrethia obtusirostra is a bristlemouth of the family Gonostomatidae, found in the tropical and subtropical Indo-Pacific and Atlantic oceans, at depths of between 100 and 600 m. Its length is between 5 and 8 cm.
Margrethia obtusirostrais, which has no common name, is small and relatively deep-bodied compared to other members of this family. It has very large eyes near the front of the blunt snout, and high dorsal and anal fins about halfway along the body. The second dorsal fin is adipose. There is a dark bar across the base of the caudal peduncle and a single row of large oval photophores along each side of the belly. All fins are transparent.
This fish is a plankton feeder, spending its brief lifespan of a little over a year suspended in midwater. It does not live long after spawning once only.
[edit] References
- Margrethia obtusirostra (TSN 622694). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 18 April 2006.
- "Margrethia obtusirostra". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. January 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.
- Tony Ayling & Geoffrey Cox, Collins Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand, (William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1982) ISBN 978-0-00-216987-5
