| Family: |
Symphysanodontidae (Slopefishes) |
| Max. size: |
14.4 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
pelagic-oceanic; marine; depth range - 218 m |
| Distribution: |
Western Indian Ocean: known only off the Maldive Islands. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 9-9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-10; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 7-7; Vertebrae: 25-25. This species is separable from all other species of the genus, except S. berryi, by the following combination of characters: segmented rays in anal fin 7, tubed lateral-line scales 50, total gillrakers on first gill arch 35-38 (10 or 11 + 25-27), sum of lateral-line scales and gillrakers on individual specimens 85-88, depth of body 20.6-24.8% SL (4.0-4.9 times in SL), length of depressed anal fin 21.8-23.9 % SL, length of anal-fin base 12.6-14.8% SL, length of first anal-fin spine 3.0-4.8% SL, hypurals 1 & 2 autogenous, hypurals 3 & 4 represented by a single plate, and first caudal vertebra without parapophyses. It can be separated from the Atlantic species S. berryi by a number of morphometric characters. It also differs slightly from S. berryi in counts of pectoral-fin rays (17 or18, mean = 17.33, for S. rhax
vs. 16-18, mean = 16.99, for S. berryi). |
| Biology: |
Depth of capture, 218 m, is available for only one collection. |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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