Macropinna microstoma

Description

General: Distinguished by transparent, cowl-like dome shielding a pair of large, tubular eyes. The anterior of the transparent head is punctuated with two olfactory capsules just above a small mouth. Body dark brown in color and covered by large scales. Distinctively large, dark brown pelvic fins.

Size: To 15 cm TL.

Reproduction: Oviparous.

Geographic Information

Ocean range (global): Bering Sea to Japan, and Baja California.

Habitat description: Midwater.

Published depth range: 616 - 770 m.

Additional Information

Color: Transparent head and dark brown body.

Diet: Mixed zooplankton, including gelatinous zooplankton and crustaceans.

Looks like: Opisthoproctus.

Key visual features: Transparent head; large, green tubular eyes; large pelvic fins.

Other resources: https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Macropinna-microstoma.html

References

Encyclopedia of Life

Tree of Life

World Register of Marine Species

National Center for Biotechnology Information

Moser, H.G., 1996. Opisthoproctidae: spookfishes. p. 215-223. In H.G. Moser (ed.) The early stages of fishes in the California Current Region. California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations (CalCOFI) Atlas No. 33. 1505 p.

Robison, B.H. and K.R. Reisenbichler (2008). Macropinna microstoma and the Paradox of Its Tubular Eyes. Copeia, 4: 780-784.

Page, L.M., H. Espinosa-Pérez, L.T. Findley, C.R. Gilbert, R.N. Lea, N.E. Mandrak, R.L. Mayden, and J.S. Nelson (2013). Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, MD. 243 pp.

Chapman, W. M. (1939). Eleven new species and three new genera of oceanic fishes collected by the International Fisheries Commission from the northeastern Pacific. Proceedings of the United States National Museum, 86(3062): 501-542.