Slender Escolar, Paradiplospinus gracilis (Brauer 1906)

Illustration of a Slender Escolar, Paradiplospinus gracilis. Source: FAO / EOL. License: CC by Attribution-Noncommercial

Summary:

In Australian waters the Slender Escolar has only been captured off southern Tasmania.

Cite this page as:

Schultz, S., Paradiplospinus gracilis in Fishes of Australia, accessed 19 Apr 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/712

Slender Escolar, Paradiplospinus gracilis (Brauer 1906)

More Info

Distribution	Known only from southern Africa and southern Australia. In Australian waters this species has only been recorded from southern Tasmania. An oceanic species, benthopelagic, in depths of 368-626 m. Juveniles pelagic, most likely mesopelagic.
Features	D XXXV-XXXVIII, 0, 0, 26-30; A II, 24-29. Body very elongate and compressed. Body depth 12-16 times into standard length. Head length 4.5-4.9 times into standard length. Three pairs of rigid, and 1-3 pairs of depressible fang-like teeth in upper jaw. One pair of fang-like teeth in lower jaw. Length of second dorsal fin base roughly one-third of first dorsal fin base.
Colour	Body and fins brownish-black.
Feeding	Unknown.
Biology	Mature at around 35 cm (standard length).
Fisheries	Of no interest to fisheries.
Conservation	None.
Etymology	The specific name is from the Latin, gracilis, meaning slender.
Species Citation	Lepidopus gracilis Brauer, 1906, Die Tiefsee-Fische. I. Systematischer Teil.15: 291, Pl. 12 (fig. 5), Off western coast of South Africa, 21°53'S, 6°58'06"E, depth 1400 meters.
Author	Schultz, S.

Slender Escolar, Paradiplospinus gracilis (Brauer 1906)

References

Carpenter, K.E.; Niem, V.H. (eds). FAO species identification guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of the Western Central Pacific. Volume 6. Bony fishes part 4 (Labridae to Latimeriidae), estuarine crocodiles, sea turtles, sea snakes and marine mammals. Rome, FAO. 2001. pp. 3381-4218.

Hoese, D.F., D.J. Bray, J.R. Paxton, & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. in Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.

Nakamura, I. and N. V. Parin. FAO species catalogue. Vol. 15. Snake mackerels and cutlassfishes of the world (Families Gempylidae and Trichiuridae). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the snake mackerels, snoeks, escolars, gemfishes, sackfishes, domine, oilfish,cutlassfishes, scabbardfishes, hairtails, and frostfishes known to date. FAO Fisheries Synopis. No. 125, Vol. 15. 1993. 136 p., 200 figs.