Species: Benthodesmus simonyi, North Atlantic Frostfish Scabbardfish, Simony's frostfish

Benthodesmus simonyi  (Steindachner, 1891)

Simony’s frostfish

Body extremely elongate and compressed, depth 3.7-4.7% SL;  upper head profile rises smoothly from tip of snout to origin of dorsal fin; nape without a central, longitudinal crest; lower rear edge of gill cover convex; lower jaw projecting; tips of both jaws with a short skin knob in large fish; jaws with front fangs and slightly compressed side teeth; roof of mouth with 1 row of teeth on each side, none in center; gill rakers on first arch spiny; dorsal fin with long base, XLIV – XLVI, 104-109 (total elements 148-155), partially divided by a shallow notch, base of spinous part about ½ length of base of soft part; anal fin II (close-set, 1st rudimentary, not visible in adults, 2nd comb-like, delicate, well forwards of rest of fin), 93 – 102, rays developed only on rear 1/3 of fin; pectorals 12; pelvic fins minute, with a scale-like spine & a rudimentary soft ray, inserted behind pectoral base; tail fin small, forked.

Silvery; jaws, operculum, and inside mouth and gill chamber black.

Reaches 133 cm

Benthopelagic

Depth range 200-900 m.

Atlantic; Newfoundland to Argentina.