Shortfin spiny eel

Shortfin spiny eel
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Notacanthiformes
Family:	Notacanthidae
Genus:	Notacanthus
Species:	N. bonaparte
Binomial name
Notacanthus bonaparte Risso, 1840
Synonyms[2]
Notacanthus mediterraneus De Filippi & Verany, 1857

The shortfin spiny eel (Notacanthus bonaparte), also called Bonaparte's spiny eel, is a member of the family Notacanthidae, the deep-sea spiny eels, which are not true eels (Anguilliformes).[3][4]

Distribution

The shortfin spiny eel lives in the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea;[5] it has been found in the Adriatic Sea.[6] It lives in the bathypelagic zone at depths of 487–2,000 m (1,598–6,562 ft).[7]

Description

Another drawing

Notacanthus bonaparte is grey or pink in colour and has a maximum length of 26 cm (10 in). It has a short snout, long head, mouth on the underside. Its dorsal fin has up to nine spines, while the anal fin is long and has up to fourteen spines.[8] Males are smaller and have enlarged nasal rosettes.[7]

Behaviour

The shortfin spiny eel feeds on bryozoans, ophiuroids, amphipods and sponges.[7]

Life cycle

The shortfin spiny eel spawns in June and July in the Mediterranean.[9]

References

1. Papakonstantinou, C. (November 16, 2007). "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Notacanthus bonaparte". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
2. "Notacanthus bonaparte". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
3. "Israel Journal of Zoology". Weizmann Science Press of Israel. June 27, 2001 – via Google Books.
4. "Fishes of the Western North Atlantic". Sears Foundation for Marine Research, Yale Univ. June 27, 1948 – via Google Books.
5. Goffredo, Stefano; Dubinsky, Zvy (September 9, 2013). The Mediterranean Sea: Its history and present challenges. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 9789400767041 – via Google Books.
6. "Shortfin spiny eel (Notacanthus bonaparte) | adriaticnature". adriaticnature.com.
7. "Notacanthus bonaparte, Shortfin spiny eel". www.fishbase.se.
8. "MarLIN - The Marine Life Information Network - Shortfin spiny eel (Notacanthus bonaparte)". www.marlin.ac.uk.
9. "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Notacanthus bonaparte Risso, 1840". www.marinespecies.org.

• Data related to Notacanthus bonaparte at Wikispecies