Giant hatchetfish | |
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Drawing by Dr Tony Ayling | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Stomiiformes |
Family: | Sternoptychidae |
Subfamily: | Sternoptychinae |
Genus: | Argyropelecus |
Species: | A. gigas |
Binomial name | |
Argyropelecus gigas Norman, 1930 |
The giant hatchetfish or greater silver hatchetfish (Argyropelecus gigas), a marine hatchetfish of the genus Argyropelecus, is found in every ocean except the north Pacific in the mesopelagic zone of tropical and subtropical waters. "Giant" in relative terms only, this is the largest species of marine hatchetfishes, often exceeding 110 millimetres (4.3 in) standard length.