| Family: |
Argentinidae (Argentines or herring smelts) |
| Max. size: |
35 cm SL (male/unsexed); max. reported age: 16 years |
| Environment: |
bathydemersal; marine; depth range 50 - 700 m |
| Distribution: |
Eastern Atlantic: northern Norway to Western Sahara including southern Iceland, Faroe Islands, Shetlands and Mediterranean. |
| Diagnosis: |
|
| Biology: |
Relatively common on the continental shelf and upper slope, probably schools near the bottom. Depth range from 50-500 m (Ref. 35388) and from 288-700 m in the eastern Ionian Sea (Ref. 56504). Feeds on bottom-living polychaetes, mollusks and crustaceans, also on pelagic invertebrates and fishes. Spawns from winter to spring in the Mediterranean and from March to July off the British coasts. Its eggs and larvae are pelagic (Ref. 4773). They become sexually mature at a length of 12-13cm. With a smell like cucumber (Ref. 35388). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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