Species: Polymixia lowei, Beardfish

Polymixia lowei Gunther, 1859

Beardfish

Body elongate (depth <36% of SL), compressed, oval in cross-section; eye large; snout rounded and prominent; mouth ~horizontal, lower jaw shorter, extends past rear of eye, with 2 extra bones above expanded main rear bone; teeth minute, in bands, on tongue as well as jaws and on center, sides and rear of roof of mouth; 7 rays (1st 3 minute, only last 4 visible) on membrane under gill cover; a pair of long barbells under lower jaws, well behind chin; 14-22 gill rakers; dorsal and anal fin with spines; 1 dorsal fin, long base IV-VI, 26-32; anal fin III-IV, 15-18; pelvics origin behind pectorals; tail fin forked, with spines on upper and lower base; scales spiny, moderately large, with vertical rows of spines along rear edges, 31-37 with lateral line pores.

Body and head bluish to greenish silver, brown along top of body; barbells and sides silver white; diffusely dark front tips of dorsal and anal fins and rear tips of tail fin.

Reaches 25 cm.

Bottom living on soft-bottoms.

Depth range: 50-940 m, usually below 150 m.

Maine to Brazil.

Note: The population off the southwest Caribbean is a separate species, while the status of the population of the rest of Caribbean and Brazil relative to that in the Gulf of Mexico and E USA is not known.