Teleostei (teleosts) >
Beryciformes (Sawbellies) >
Melamphaidae (Bigscale fishes or ridgeheads)
Etymology: Melamphaes: Greek, melan, -anos = black + Greek, amphi = both side (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Gill.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathypelagic; depth range 100 - 3200 m (Ref. 84880), usually 300 - ? m (Ref. 84880). Deep-water; 29°N - 48°S
North Atlantic: off the American, European and African coasts; central part of the Ocean - above the Corner Ridge and North-Atlantic Ridge (northern most 57°46'N, 11°05'W). South Atlantc: Vema Seamount, Argentina to South Africa (northern most 18°39'S, 04°16'W, all other catches up to 40°S. Indian Ocean: off South Africa, Madagascar and Mozambique ridges. Pacific: Northwest - off Nampo Is. And Ogasawara (Bonin); Northeast - off California; Southwest - Tasman Sea.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 9.4, range 9 - 9.7 cm
Max length : 10.6 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 84880)
Dorsal spines (total): 3; Dorsal soft rays (total): 5; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 17. Light brown body; unpigmented fins; mouth and branchial cavity light brown. Well-developed post temporal spine, directed antero-dorsally. About 20 transverse rows of scales (nape to caudal fin) (Ref. 31511). Head with obtuse angle in lateral margin (Ref. 37108).
Body shape (shape guide): fusiform / normal.
A mesopelagic oceanic species (Ref. 84880)
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Kotlyar, A.N., 1999. Melamphaes suborbitalis (Melamphaidae): osteology, intraspecific structure, distribution, and description of a new species, Melamphaes parini sp. nova. Vopr. Ikhtiol. 39(4):447-459. [In Russian. English translation in J. Ichthyol. v. 39 (no. 6): 421-432.]. (Ref. 84880)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2 (Global))
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804) |
PD50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high]. |
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Bayesian length-weight
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a=0.01096 (0.00451 - 0.02668), b=3.10 (2.89 - 3.31), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref. 93245). |
Trophic level (Ref. 69278) |
3.6 ±0.2 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives |
Resilience (Ref. 120179) |
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Assuming tm=2-4). |
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153) |
Moderate to high vulnerability (53 of 100). 🛈 |