Alepisaurus brevirostris

Family	Scientific Name	Author	Year	Common Name
Alepisauridae	Alepisaurus brevirostris	Gibbs	1960	Shortnose Lancetfish

Alepisaurus brevirostris

Unique Characters: Large (to 1 m) aulopiform fishes, very elongate, slender and compressed flabby body. Snout short, 1/4 to 1/3 head length. Dorsal fin low in front; no free rays; dorsal-fin origin distinctly in front of pectoral-fin origin. Dorsal fin nearly as long as body and sail-like. Small adipose fin above posterior part of anal fin; pectoral fins set very low on body and longer than pelvic fins which are located about midbody. No spines present in any fins. Scales absent; caudal peduncle with midlateral adipose keel. Color: body iridescent blue-black above, grey-silver below; dorsal fin blue-black.

Similar Species: Longnose Lancetfish, Alepisaurus ferox. Large (to 2 m), very elongate, slender and compressed flabby body. Snout long, 1/3 to 1/2 head length. Dorsal fin nearly as long as body and sail-like. Dorsal-fin origin over or slightly posterior to pectoral-fin origin. Small adipose fin above posterior part of anal fin. Pectoral fins set very low on body and longer than pelvic fins which are located about midbody. 

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