Optivus agastos Gomon, 2004
Violet roughy
photo by Graham, K.

Family:  Trachichthyidae (Slimeheads)
Max. size:  9.52 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range 1 - 146 m
Distribution:  Southwest Pacific : Australia and New Zealand (Ref. 86942).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 4-5; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-11; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 9-10; Vertebrae: 26-26. This species is characterized by the following: gill rakers 22-25 (modally 23); lateral profile of nape and head nearly straight, distinctly angled downward in front of dorsal fin; snout tip rounded, often projecting slightly in front of upper jaw; depth of head at vertical through upper end of gill opening 2.9-3.2 times in SL; snout length 1.6-2.7 times in eye diameter; inner row of teeth on premaxilla is noticeably longer than others; caudal peduncle relatively short and deep, its depth 0.9-1.3 times in length; dorsal and anal fins are relatively low, third segmented dorsal-fin ray 3.5-4.2 times in SL, first anal-fin ray 5.2-6.3 times in SL; body color greenish brown on back, silvery below; fins almost uniformly pink, though slightly dusky tips to caudal-fin lobes lasting in recently preserved large specimens (Ref. 76814).
Biology: 
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 26 December 2019 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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