Spiky oreo
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 Drawing by Dr Tony Ayling
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| Neocyttus rhomboidalis Gilchrist, 1906 |
The spiky oreo, Neocyttus rhomboidalis, is an oreo of the genus Neocyttus, found in all southern oceans at depths of between 200 and 1,300 m. Its length is up to 40 cm.
The spiky oreo has a diamond shaped body with very large forward set eyes. Projecting from the upper and lower corners of the diamond are sharp strong spines, being the second dorsal fin spine and the first anal fin spine respectively. Swimming is achieved by undulating the soft second dorsal and anal fins, the tail being merely a steering device.
The colour is silver-grey with darker grey-black irregular spots on the back and sides.
Spiky oreos inhabit continental slopes, forming large shoals over rough ground near pinnacles and canyons. Juveniles are pelagic and tend to be dispersed over smooth grounds. They feed on salps, fish, crustaceans and squid. Their eggs float near the surface and the larvae also inhabit surface waters.
[edit] References
- "Neocyttus rhomboidalis". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. March 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 0-00-216987-8
