Common Blackdragon [Idiacanthus fasciola]
Description
The Common Blackdragon is a species of dragonfish found in subtropical oceans worldwide, usually at depths between 200 and 2,000 meters. The species has a long, slender body and is typically black in color. Females can reach up to 40 centimeters in length, while males are much smaller, growing up to only 2 centimeters. Males do not have teeth, scales, or a functional gut, suggesting they do not eat. Instead, they are thought to live only long enough to mate.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Chordates
Chordata
|
|---|---|
| Class |
Fish
Actinopterygii
|
| Order |
Dragonfishes
Stomiiformes
|
| Family |
Shortdragonfishes
Idiacanthidae
|
| Genus |
Black Dragonfishes
Bathophilus
|