Large-eye snaggletooth


The large-eye snaggletooth, also called the straightline dragonfish or Antarctic snaggletooth, is a species of fish in the family Stomiidae.

Description

The large-eye snaggletooth is black in colour, up to in length. It has 9–13 dorsal soft rays and 12–17 anal soft rays. It is identified by the lack of high arch in the photophores behind the anal base, presence of double postorbital organ and the clear separation of the dagger-like teeth in its upper jaw. It has 40–60 lateral photophores extending along its belly and positioned in two straight lines. The genome of Borostomias antarcticus contains at least fifteen filovirus-like elements of which nine have extended open reading frames.

Habitat

The large-eye snaggletooth is bathydemersal and mesopelagic, staying below during the day, sometimes as deep as. It is found in oceans worldwide.

Behaviour

The large-eye snaggletooth feeds on mysids, bony fish and crustaceans.