Black swallower
| Black swallower | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Chiasmodontidae |
| Genus: | Chiasmodon |
| Species: | C. niger |
| Binomial name | |
|
Chiasmodon niger J. Y. Johnson, 1864 |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Ponerodon vastator Alcock, 1890 |
|
Ponerodon vastator Alcock, 1890
The black swallower, Chiasmodon niger, is a species of deep sea fish in the family Chiasmodontidae. It is known for its ability to swallow fish larger than itself.
It has a worldwide distribution in tropical and subtropical waters, in the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zones at a depth of 700–2,745 m (2,297–9,006 ft). It is a very common and widespread ocean fish; of its genus, it is the most common species in the North Atlantic.
The black swallower is a small fish, with a maximum known length of 25 cm (9.8 in). The body is elongated and compressed, without scales, and is a uniform brownish-black in color. Its head is long, with a blunt snout, moderately sized eyes, and a large mouth. The lower jaw protrudes past the upper; both jaws are lined with a single row of sharp, depressible teeth, which interlock when the mouth is closed. The first three teeth in each jaw are enlarged into canines.
A small lower spine occurs on the preoperculum. The pectoral fins are long, with 12–15 (usually 13) rays; the pelvic fins are small and contain five rays. Of the two dorsal fins, the first is spiny with 10–12 spines, and the second is longer with one spine and 26–29 soft rays. The anal fin contains one spine and 26–29 soft rays. The caudal fin is forked with 9 rays. The lateral line is continuous with two pores per body segment.
...
Wikipedia