Polyacanthonotus challengeri (Vaillant, 1888)
Longnose tapirfish
Polyacanthonotus challengeri
photo by Orlov, A.

Family:  Notacanthidae (Deep-sea spiny eels)
Max. size:  60 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  bathypelagic; marine; depth range 777 - 4560 m
Distribution:  North Pacific: Japan, Bering Sea and British Columbia, Canada (Ref. 6885), also south to Oregon, USA (Ref. 35578). South Pacific: known form one specimen collected near New Zealand. Southeast Atlantic: South Africa. Southern Ocean: known from one specimen collected near the Kerguelen Islands. Mainly antitropical (Ref. 5165) but reported from Azores, Canary Islands and Morocco (Ref. 6728).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 32-35; Dorsal soft rays (total): 0-0; Vertebrae: 242-244. Caudal fin very small; anal fin with 161-162 rays altogether, 26-35 of which are spines, long, low, confluent with caudal; pectorals with a fleshy base (Ref. 6885). Cream to faintly pink, possibly with light brown markings; black on posterior margins of anal and caudal fins; black on posterior edge of gill cover, lining of mouth and gill chamber, and parts of peritoneum (Ref. 6885).
Biology:  Feeds on benthic invertebrates, especially amphipods, polychaetes and mysids (Ref. 6728).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 08 March 2012 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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