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Smallmouth spiny eel

Species of fish From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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The smallmouth spiny eel (Polyacanthonotus rissoanus), also called the shortspine tapirfish,[2] is a species of deep-sea spiny eel.[3][4][5]

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Description

The smallmouth spiny eel is silver or brown in colour, with a maximum length of 36 cm (14 in). It has 26–36 dorsal soft rays. It looks similar to Polyacanthonotus africanus but its lateral line is lighter and less distinct. It has a small mouth and a short preoral snout. Mature males are distinguished by their black nostrils.[6]

Habitat

The smallmouth spiny eel lives in the Arctic waters off of Canada and in the North Atlantic Ocean off of Iceland, Ireland and Great Britain; it has also been observed in the waters off South Africa and in the Tasman Sea.[7][8] It is a benthic and bathydemersal species, living at depths of 500–2,800 m (1,600–9,200 ft).[9][10][11]

Behaviour

Polyacanthonotus rissoanus feeds on coelenterates, worms and crustaceans.[12]

References

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