Species: Polymixia nobilis, Noble Beardfish, Stout Beardfish

Polymixia nobilis Lowe, 1836

Noble Beardfish, Stout Beardfish

Body elongate (depth 36-40% 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; 10-13 gill rakers; dorsal and anal fin with spines; 1 dorsal fin, long base IV-VI, 33-38; 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 wedge-shaped rows of spines, 31-37 with lateral line pores.

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

Reaches 54 cm.

Bottom living on soft-bottoms.

Depth range: 70-800 m.

E and W Atlantic; Bermuda to Guyana.

Note: the population off Bermuda (and rest of the W Atlantic?) is a separate species from that in the E Atlantic.