It was caught at night by a troll line off the back of a sailing vessel that Acadia University has a student at course on board of (Classafloat). It looks like no other Barracuda I know from the literature. Taxonomic help please. Could be a new species?
mike dadswell
It is a Gempylidae, Gempylus serpens, from a completely different family. Cheers, Alfie
Alfredo Thank you very much. Very similar to a Barracuda except the large extension off the lower jaw. Fine set of teeth.
Makes me feel a lot better. The students caught it trolling behind the sailing ship at night. It has long ago been dissected and discarded. I was hoping it was not a species new to science and lost.
Mike D
As informed by Alfredo, this species is commonly known as Snake mackerel, can be differentiated between Sphyraenidae (Barracudas) as species belonging to family Gempylidae usually have detached finlets behind dorsal and anal (maybe that’s why ‘Mackerel’). Large eyes are due to adaptation in deep waters where these species are known to inhabit.
Thank you. I saw lots of snake mackerel while I was in New Zealand but do not remember them having such huge teeth. However that was 50 years ago!
Mike D
Mike, it sure looks like Gempylus serpens, have seen them in Indonesia. Amazing it's up in your area but I guess it's not that uncommon.
http://www.fishbase.ca/summary/Gempylus-serpens.html#
Tom
- Badges
- Science method
- Similar topics
- Biological Science
- Ecology