| Family: |
Eurypharyngidae (Gulpers) |
| Max. size: |
100 cm TL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
bathypelagic; marine; depth range 500 - 7625 m |
| Distribution: |
Circumglobal: In tropical to temperate waters. Eastern Pacific: ranges from northern California to Peru (Ref. 35600). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Anal spines: 0-0. Mouth greatly enlarged by a backward extension of jaws, gape comprising half or more of preanal length; buccal cavity greatly distensible. Tail attenuated and ending in an expanded, luminous caudal organ. Caudal fin absent; scales absent; lateral line without pores, instead with groups of elevated tubules. |
| Biology: |
Meso- to abyssopelagic (Ref. 58302) and bathypelagic (Ref. 58426). Adults feed mainly on crustaceans, but also take fishes, cephalopods, and other invertebrates (Ref. 2850, 11041). Oviparous, planktonic eggs hatch into planktonic leptocephalus larvae (Ref. 6719, 35600). Degenerative changes in males and females suggest semelparity (Ref. 35600). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 24 May 2012 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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