Species: Schedophilus pemarco, Pemarco Blackfish

Schedophilus pemarco (Poll, 1959)

Pemarco Blackfish

Body a moderately deep (depth ~45-55% SL) oval, compressed, musculature firm; head broad, deep; blunt, thick snout; head covered with pores; eye 21-29% head length, with a poorly developed fatty ring around; mouth large, most of top jaw hidden under bone above it; roof of mouth toothless; jaws with 1 row of small conical teeth; gill rakers 5-7+1+15-16; opercle thin, with 2 flat spines; preopercle with 12-19 distinct spines; one continuous, long-based, low dorsal fin, V-VII weak but readily distinguishable spines gradually increase in size to rear, origin over/before pectoral base, 23-26 rays; anal fin origin under rear ½ of dorsal fin, III short, weak spines, 16-18 rays; bases of dorsal & anal fins fleshy, translucent; pectoral fins 19-22, rounded, reach to about 3rd anal spine; pelvic fins a little smaller than pectorals, inserted under front of base of pectoral, connected to belly by membrane, can fold into groove on belly; tail forked; scales small, ~95 on lateral line, smooth, easily shed, covering bases of dorsal and anal; lateral line arched, straightens out over anal fin.

Dark blue-grey to brownish; fins darker than body; dorsal and anal fin rays black; pelvics, pectorals and end of tail black; inside operculum black; eye bluish; juveniles with horizontal dark stripes on body; only tips of pectorals black

Size: 50 cm.

Habitat: near-bottom in deep water.

Depth: 50-500 m.

North Atlantic; strays to SE Florida, the Sargasso Sea & SE Caribbean.