Caristius Meridionalis

📖 Overview

Caristius Meridionalis (Caristius meridionalis), first described by Stevenson & Kenaley, 2013 is a medium-sized fish in the family Caristiidae (order Scombriformes). Adults typically reach 26.70 cm in maximum length. It inhabits marine coastal and open-ocean environments. Recorded depth range: 1 to 1335 metres. It occurs in Subtropical waters. It feeds on a mix of small fish and invertebrates as a mid-level predator.

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal soft rays (total): 35 - 39; Anal soft rays: 20 - 24; Vertebrae: 37 - 41. This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following: have a greater number of dorsal-fin rays (35-39 or more vs. 36 or fewer); differs from C. macropus by the presence of several long bristles on distal half of raker, and one or two long bristles extending from the tip of each raker (vs. several short bristles along distal half of raker, and occasionally a small bristle at the tip) and the morphology of the dorsal pharyngeal papillae (fleshy tabs and small papillae vs. low folds); from C. fasciatus by the greater number of smaller teeth, higher vertebral count, and by the absence of a fingerlike papilla inside the opercle (occasionally absent in C. fasciatus as well); from C. digitus by the absence of a series of fingerlike papillae inside the opercle, the short conical pharyngeal teeth (vs. elongate pharyngeal teeth), and fewer gill rakers (18-21 vs. 22-26) .: short and / or deep; Cross section: compressed.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Caristius Meridionalis is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

🥚 Reproduction

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; benthopelagic; depth range 1 - 1335 m . Subtropical South Pacific: off the coasts of Australia and New Zealand.

🌿 Ecology

📐 Morphometrics

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

🐠 Related Species

🔍 Similar Species

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