The Antarctic silverfish was first formally described in 1902 by the Belgian-born British zoologistGeorge Albert Boulenger with the type locality given as Victoria Land in Antarctica.[5] It is the only species in the monotypic genus Pleuagramma which was also described by Boulenger.[6] Some authorities place this taxon in the subfamilyPleuragrammatinae,[7] but the 5th edition of Fishes of the World does not include subfamilies in the Nototheniidae.[8] The genus name is a compound of pleuro meaning "side" with a which means "without" and gramma meaning "line", an allusion to the absence of a lateral line.[9]
Description
Antarctic silverfish usually grow to about 15 cm (5.9 in) in length, with a maximum of 25 cm (9.8 in). The maximum reported weight of this species is 200 g. Antarctic silverfish have a maximum reported age of 20 years. When alive, they are pink with a silver tint, but turn silver only after death. All the fins are pale. The dorsal side is slightly darker.[2] This Antarctic marine fish is one of several in the region that produce antifreeze glycopeptides as an adaptation against the extreme cold of Antarctic waters.[10]
Ecology
The postlarvae, 8–17 mm (0.31–0.67 in) in size, feed on eggs of calanoids (Calanoida), sea snails Limacina and tintinnids (Tintinnida).[11] The postlarvae live at depths of up to 135 metres (443 ft).[2] Juveniles feed on copepods (Copepoda), mostly on Oncaea curvata and can be found at depths of 50 to 400 m (160–1,310 ft),[11][2] while adults can be found at depths 0–728 m (0–2,388 ft).[2] As their size increases, so does the size of their prey items. Mature females may spawn for the first time at 7–9 years of age.[2]
Antarctic silverfish are the most abundant pelagic fish species in the High Antarctic shelf waters of the Southern Ocean[12] and are important high-caloric prey species for high-trophic animals such as Adelie penguins, marine flying birds and Weddell seals.[13]
^Bottaro M., Oliveri D., Ghigliotti L., Pisano E., Ferrando S. & Vacchi M. (2009). "Born among the ice: first morphological observations on two developmental stages of the Antarctic silverfish Pleuragramma antarcticum, a key species of the Southern Ocean". Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries19(2); 249-259. doi:10.1007/s11160-009-9106-5.
^H.H. Dewitt; P.C. Heemstra; and O. Gon (1990). "Nototheniidae Notothens". In O. Gon and P.C. Heemstra (eds.). Fishes of the Southern Ocean. South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity. ISBN9780868102115.
^A. P. Wohrmann (1995). "Antifreeze glycopeptides in the high-Antarctic Silverfish Pleurogramma antarcticum (Notothenioidei)". Comp. Biochem. Physiol. C. 111 (1): 121–9. doi:10.1016/0742-8413(95)00007-T. PMID7656179.
^ abGranata, A.; Zagami, G.; Vacchi, M.; Guglielmo, L. (2009). "Summer and spring trophic niche of larval and juvenile Pleuragramma antarcticum in the Western Ross Sea, Antarctica". Polar Biology. 32 (3): 369–382. doi:10.1007/s00300-008-0551-8. S2CID8212285.
^Carlig, E., Di Blasi, D., Ghigliotti, L. et al. Diversified feeding strategies of Pleuragramma antarctica (Nototheniidae) in the Southern Ocean. Polar Biol 42, 2045–2054 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-019-02579-0