Shorefishes of the Greater Caribbean online information system

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Species: Assurger anzac, Razorback Scabbardfish

All Families:   All Genera:   All Species:

crest on nape
long, slender, very compressed
eyes not large, on side
D elements 116-123, few front weak spines, no notch
C small, forked
pelvic tiny: I,1

Assurger anzac Alexander, 1916

Razorback Scabbardfish

Body very elongate (depth ~4% of length), highly compressed; head pointed, 1/8 of TL, top profile straight to slightly convex, with a strong crest along top between eyes and on nape; snout pointed, 40% of head length; eye moderate in size, on side of head; tips of both jaws with a short skin process; lower jaw projecting; lower jaw with 3 pairs of fangs at front, a small pair in center; gill rakers are 13-14 spines with large basal plates; dorsal fin with 116-123 elements, with a few ray-like spines at front, no notch between spines and rays; anal fin with 1st spine rudimentary, 2nd spine scale-like, total 74-87 elements, with only 14-17 external soft rays at rear of fin; pectorals 12, triangular, upper rays shorter; pelvic fins of I scale-like spine and 1 tiny soft ray; tail fin small, forked; lateral line straight

Color: silvery; anterior membranes of dorsal fin black.

Reaches 225 cm

Adults benthopelagic, juveniles epi- and mesopelagic.

Depth: 150-400m.

In all three oceans, probably widely distributed; Hispaniola.


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Salinity
  • Marine
  • Marine Only
Inshore/Offshore
  • Offshore
  • Offshore Only
Water Column Position
  • Bottom
  • Bottom + water column
  • Mid Water
  • Near Bottom
  • Near Surface
Habitat
  • Water column
FishBase Habitat
  • Bentho-Pelagic
Feeding Group
  • Carnivore
  • Data
Diet
  • Data
  • Bony fishes
  • Octopus/squid/cuttlefish
Egg Type
  • Data
  • Pelagic
  • Pelagic larva
Global Endemism
  • All species
  • Circumtropical ( Indian + Pacific + Atlantic Oceans)
  • Greater Caribbean non-endemic
Regional Endemism
  • GC non-endemic
  • Island (s)
  • Island (s) only
  • All species
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
IUCN Red List
  • Not evaluated / Listed
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 225
Depth Range Min
  • 150
Depth Range Max
  • 400