| Family | Scientific Name | Author | Year | Common Name |
| Stomiidae | Idiacanthus fasciola | Peters | 1877 | Ribbon Sawtail |
Family Idiacanthidae (genus Idiacanthus) – Body markedly elongate, eel-like, slightly compressed. Chin barbel length about twice head length in females, absent in males. Gill arches without rakers or teeth. Dorsal fin with very long base, its origin well anterior to midbody. Base of each dorsal- and anal-fin ray with a small, sharp spur. Pectoral fins present in larvae, absent in adults; pelvic fins with 6 rays in females, absent in males. Postorbital photophore prominent, located posteroventrally, equal in size to eye in males, smaller in females (FAO 2002).
Idiacanthus fasciola
Unique Characteristics: Body without scales or hexagonal scale pockets. Dorsal and anal fins located near caudal fin; adipose fin absent. Dorsal-fin base much longer than anal-fin base; dorsal-fin origin anterior to mid-body (FAO 2020).
Similar Species: None
References:
FAO. 2002. The living marine resources of the Western Central Atlantic. Volumes 1-3. K.E. Carpenter (ed.). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy. 4099 pp. http://www.fao.org/3/y4160e/y4160e00.htm.
(FAO 2020) Sutton, T.T., P.A. Hulley, R. Wienerroither, D. Zaera-Perez, and J.R. Paxton. 2020. Identification guide to the mesopelagic fishes of the central and south east Atlantic Ocean. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes. Rome, FAO. 327 pp. https://doi.org/10.4060/cb0365en.