Barreleye
📖 Overview
A solitary fish, occurring at lower mesopelagic depths beneath temperate and subarctic waters. Caught by midwater trawl nets in areas with bottom depths of 1600-3600 m. Stomach contents include cnidarian remains, however, its visceral anatomy suggests diets of mixed zooplankton, including both gelatinous and crustacean prey and siphonophore tentacles and nematocysts . Uncommon species . Oviparous, with planktonic larvae . A photo of a 15 cm long fish shown at http://www.newscientist.com/gallery/new-species/9.
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 14. This species' most striking feature is the transparent, cowl-like shield that covers the top of the head, and its prominent tubular eyes within. The shield is a tough, flexible integument that attaches to the dorsal and medial scales behind the head, and to the broad, transparent subocular bones that protect the eyes laterally. The fluid-field chamber found beneath the shield surrounds and protects the eyes with vivid green lenses. The tubular eyes of this fish can look forward as well as upward (with maximum arc of rotation observed about 75 degrees). The morphology of the eyes apparently allow at least two feeding modes: (1) with body horizontal and with eyes directed upward, it can spot food against lighted waters above, it pivots its body to bring the mouth up for ingestion while eyes are locked on target, rotating from dorsal to rostral relative to the body; and (2) with body horizontal, eyes rotate dorsal to rostral while tracking the path of descending food until it reaches the level of the mouth . Adipose at the base of the caudal peduncle . Adults dark brown .
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Barreleye is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
M. microstoma shares its deep-sea environment with many different types of cnidarians. Some of the most common are siphonophores (which can reach length of 30 feet). The barreleye has a strong digestive system and it usually feeds on cnidarians and small drifting animals. The small marine creatures trapped on the tentacles of the cnidarians are also targeted by the barreleye fish.
🥚 Reproduction
Oviparous .
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; bathypelagic; depth range 16 - 1267 m . Deep-water; 66°N - 21°N, 128°E - 109°W North Pacific: Bering Sea to Japan, and Baja California, Mexico.
🌿 Ecology
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Barreleye · Pacific Barreleye · Pacific Barreleye Fish |
| 🌍CES | strašík maloústý |
| 🇩🇪German | Röhrenauge |
| 🌍EST | Trummelkala |
| 🇫🇷French | Poisson revenant · vise-en-l'air · vise-en-l’air |
| 🇯🇵Japanese | Demenigisu · デメニギス |
| 🇵🇹Portuguese | Olho-de-barril-do-Pacífico |
| 🇷🇺Russian | Малоротая макропинна |
| 🇪🇸Spanish | ojos de barril pequeño |
| 🌍THA | ปลาหัวใสแปซิฟิก |
| 🇨🇳Chinese | 大鰭後肛魚 · 太平洋桶眼魚 |
📚 Scientific References
13 publications cited
- Froese, R. and Pauly, D. (Editors) (2024). FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. FishBase Consortium. Link ↗
- IUCN (2024). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2024-1. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Link ↗
- GBIF Secretariat (2024). GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset. Global Biodiversity Information Facility. DOI ↗
- USDA Agricultural Research Service (2024). FoodData Central. USDA National Nutrient Database. United States Department of Agriculture. Link ↗
- FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department (2024). The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Link ↗
- Kaschner, K., Kesner-Reyes, K., Garilao, C., Segschneider, J., Rius-Barile, J., Rees, T., Froese, R. (2024). AquaMaps: Predicted range maps for aquatic species. AquaMaps. Link ↗
- Nelson, J.S., Grande, T.C., Wilson, M.V.H. (2016). Fishes of the World. 5th edition. John Wiley & Sons.
- Helfman, G.S., Collette, B.B., Facey, D.E., Bowen, B.W. (2009). The Diversity of Fishes: Biology, Evolution, and Ecology. 2nd edition. Wiley-Blackwell.
- Froese, R. (2006). Cube law, condition factor and weight-length relationships: history, meta-analysis and recommendations. Journal of Applied Ichthyology, 22(4), 241-253. DOI ↗
- Halstead, B.W., Auerbach, P.S., Campbell, D. (1988). A Colour Atlas of Dangerous Marine Animals. Wolfe Medical Publications. Wolfe Medical.
- Balon, E.K. (1975). Reproductive Guilds of Fishes: A Proposal and Definition. Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada, 32(6), 821-864.
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 3 records indexed .
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