Longfin smooth-head

The longfin smooth-head (Conocara macropterum) is a species of fish in the family Alepocephalidae.^[3][4][5]

Longfin smooth-head
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Alepocephaliformes
Family:	Alepocephalidae
Genus:	Conocara
Species:	C. macropterum
Binomial name
Conocara macropterum (Vaillant, 1888)
Synonyms[2]
Alepocephalus macropterus (Vaillant, 1888) Conocara macdonaldi (Goode & Bean, 1896) Conocara macroptera (Vaillant, 1888) Conocara mcdonaldi (Goode & Bean, 1896)

Description

Drawing of Conocara macropterum.

The longfin smooth-head is pale brown to black in colour; its name derives from its anal fin, which has a long base and 35–39 finrays. Its maximum length is 34 centimetres (13 in).^[6] They grow rapidly from infancy; few juveniles of intermediate size are found.^[7]

Habitat

The longfin smooth-head lives in the temperate and tropical Atlantic Ocean, and in the Gulf of Mexico;^[8][9][10] it is bathypelagic, living at depths of 800–2,200 m (2,600–7,200 ft), being most common at 1,200–1,800 m (3,900–5,900 ft).^[6]

Behaviour

The longfin smooth-head lays large eggs, up to 6 mm (0.24 in) in diameter, and are believed to be buried in redds, similar to how the Atlantic salmon buries its eggs.^[11][12] A detritivore, the longfin smooth-head is recorded to ingest sediment from the seafloor, taking up with it microfauna such as foraminiferans.^[13][14]