Bigeye Slickhead, Bajacalifornia megalops (Lütken 1898)
Other Names: Bigeye Smooth-head
A Bigeye Slickhead, Bajacalifornia megalops, from the Atlantic Ridge. Source: Alexei Orlov / MAR-ECO Project. License: CC by Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
Summary:
A slender dark brown slickhead with a blackish head, large eyes, and a prominent conical knob on the tip of the lower jaw.
Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2025, Bajacalifornia megalops in Fishes of Australia, accessed 27 Jun 2025, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/4315
Bigeye Slickhead, Bajacalifornia megalops (Lütken 1898)
More Info
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Distribution |
Tasman Sea east of Sydney, New South Wales. Elsewhere the species is circumglobal in tropical and temperate oceans (including Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea), most commonly at depths of 800-1400 m.. |
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Features |
Dorsal fin 14-19; Anal fin 13-16; Pectoral fin 12-17; Pelvic fin 7-9; Gill rakers 24-29; Pyloric caecae 11-26; Vertebrae 49-52; Scales in longitudinal series 51-63; Transverse scale rows from the first lateral-line scale to dorsal-fin origin 22-25. Body moderately elongate and slender, head large; tip of snout with a conical knob. Teeth present in a single row in upper and lower jaws; upper jaw extending to below rear margin of orbit. Scales on body moderate; head naked. Dorsal-fin origin anterior to anal fin; Pectoral and pelvic fins very small. |
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Size |
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Feeding |
Feeds on a range of fishes and invertebrates, including ctenophores, crustaceans, echinoderms, polychaetes and tunicates. |
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Remarks |
The most widespread species in the genus. |
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Etymology |
The specific name is from the Greek megas- (= great, large) and ops (= appearance, eye), in reference to "the eyes not being particularly small". |
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Species Citation |
Cyclothone megalops Lütken 1898, Danish Ingolf Expedition, II: 10, pl. 4(1). Type locality: Between Iceland and Greenland, 64°38'N, 32°37'W, depth 1040 fathoms. |
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Author |
Bray, D.J. 2025 |
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Resources |
Bigeye Slickhead, Bajacalifornia megalops (Lütken 1898)
References
Amaoka, K. & Abe, K. 1977. Description of a new alepocephalid fish, Bajacalifornia erimoensis, and a second record of Alepocephalus umbriceps off Japan. Japanese Journal of Ichthyology 23(4): 185-191. https://doi.org/10.11369/jji1950.23.185 (described as Bajacalifornia erimoensis, type locality Off Cape Erimo, Hokkaido, Japan, depth 970 m).
Hulley, P. 2015. Bajacalifornia megalops. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T15147816A15147819. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T15147816A15147819.en. Accessed on 23 April 2025.
Lütken, C.F. 1898. The ichthyological results. Danish Ingolf Expedition, II. Copenhagen. 215-254, pls 1-4. See ref at BHL
Markle, D.F. 1986. Family No. 64: Alepocephalidae & Family No. 66: Leptochilichthyidae. pp. 218-226 in Smith, M.M. & Heemstra, P.C. (eds). Smith's Sea Fishes. Johannesburg : Macmillan South Africa xx + 1047 pp. 144 pls. See ref at BHL
Markle, D.F. & Krefft, G. 1985. A new species and review of Bajacalifornia (Pisces: Alepocephalidae) with comments on the hook jaw of Narcetes stomias. Copeia 1985(2): 345-356. https://doi.org/10.2307/1444844
Sazonov, Yu.I. & Williams, A. 2001. A review of the alepocephalid fishes (Argentiniformes, Alepocephalidae) continental slope of Australia. Journal of Ichthyology 41(suppl. 1): S1-S36.
Sutton, T.T., Hulley, P.A., Wienerroither, R., Zaera-Perez, D. & Paxton, J.R. 2020. Identification guide to the mesopelagic fishes of the central and south east Atlantic Ocean. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes. Rome, FAO. https://doi.org/10.4060/cb0365en
Williams, A. & Stewart, A.L. 2015. Family Alepocephalidae. pp. 354-376 in Roberts, C.D., Stewart, A.L. & Struthers, C.D. The Fishes of New Zealand. Wellington : Te Papa Press Vol. 2 pp. 1-576.
