Aldrovandia phalacra (Vaillant, 1888)
Hawaiian halosaurid fish
photo by Orlov, A.

Family:  Halosauridae (Halosaurs)
Max. size:  50 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthopelagic; marine; depth range 500 - 2300 m
Distribution:  Probably circumglobal. Western Atlantic: New England, USA to Bahamas and off southern Brazil. Eastern Atlantic: northern Portugal to Guinea and off South Africa. Eastern Pacific: Hawaii and Chile (Ref. 9068). Western Indian Ocean: southern India. Eastern Indian Ocean: Western Australia (Ref. 49596).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 1-1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-11. Body light grey in color; head silvery blue on top and sides, darker below and on gill covers (Ref. 3974). Lack of scales on the dorsal surface of the head and short maxillary spine (Ref. 37108).
Biology:  Found between 530-2321 m, associated with islands and continental slopes (Ref. 58302). Found at bathyal to abyssal depths. Feeds on amphipods, mysids, copepods and polychaetes. Sexually dimorphic, maturing males have enlarged nostrils, anterior nostrils are black and tubular. Females outnumber males 4:1 in western North Atlantic.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 07 February 2011 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:  Identification needs further confirmation. Probably the first record in the Western Pacific (Ref. 95664).


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