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Tetragonurus cuvieri Risso, 1810 Smalleye squaretail |
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photo by
Cruscanti, M. |
| Family: | Tetragonuridae (Squaretails) | |||
| Max. size: | 70 cm TL (male/unsexed) | |||
| Environment: | bathypelagic; marine; depth range 1 - 800 m, oceanodromous | |||
| Distribution: | Eastern Pacific: Aleutian Islands, Alaska to Baja California, Mexico; Chile (Ref. 9068). Western Pacific: Japan (Ref. 559), New Zealand and Australia (Ref. 6885). Western Indian Ocean: Natal, South Africa (Ref. 4415). Atlantic Ocean, including the Mediterranean (Ref. 4415). | |||
| Diagnosis: | Dorsal spines (total): 15-21; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12-15; Anal spines: 1-1; Anal soft rays: 11-13; Vertebrae: 52. Pectorals and pelvic fins small (Ref. 6885). Dark brown, paler at base of tail and on head, otherwise almost uniform throughout (Ref. 6885). | |||
| Biology: | Oceanic, usually near surface; possibly near bottom. Perhaps occurs in schools. Young usually among jellyfishes or inside large salps. Feeds on jellyfishes and salps (Ref. 2850), also other soft-bodied coelenterates, ctenophores, as well as plankton. There are conflicting reports that the flesh of this species is poisonous (Ref. 11149). | |||
| IUCN Red List Status: | Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 19 May 2013 Ref. (130435) | |||
| Threat to humans: | reports of ciguatera poisoning | |||
| Country info: |
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