Scopelogadus beanii

Scopelogadus beanii, or Bean's bigscale, is a species of ridgehead fish.^[3][4][5] It is named for Tarleton Hoffman Bean.

Scopelogadus beanii
Conservation status
Data Deficient  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Beryciformes
Family:	Melamphaidae
Genus:	Scopelogadus
Species:	S. beanii
Binomial name
Scopelogadus beanii (Günther, 1887)
Synonyms[2]
Melamphaes beanii Günther, 1887 Melamphaes eurylepis Holt & Byrne, 1906 Plectromus beanii Günther, 1887 Plectromus crassiceps Bean, 1885 Scopelogadus beani Günther, 1887

Description

Bean's bigscale is dark brown or black in colour, with a maximum length of 12.2 cm (4.8 in). It is one of the largest and deepest-dwelling ridgeheads. It has two dorsal spines, one anal spine, 10–11 dorsal soft rays and 7–9 anal soft rays. Its caudal peduncle (the tapered region behind the dorsal and anal fins where the caudal fin attaches to the body) is long.^[6] It has ridges of thin bones supporting deep mucous cavities on the head.^[7]

Bean's bigscale has very large, weakly attached cycloid scales that are often lost during capture.^[7]

Habitat

Bean's bigscale is mesopelagic and bathypelagic, living at depths of up to 2,500 m (8,200 ft), and is common in the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean and Tasman Sea.^[8]

Behaviour

Scopelogadus beanii feeds on amphipods, polychaetes, jellyfish and mysids.^[9][10]