Olfer's Hatchetfish, Argyropelecus olfersii (Cuvier 1829)
Other Names: Silver Hatchetfish
A preserved Silver Hatchetfish, Argyropelecus olfersii, MCZ 135737. Source: Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University / EOL. License: CC BY Attribution-Noncommercial-ShareAlike
Summary:
A silvery hatchetfish with a dark back, silvery sides, black pigment surrounding the lower photophores, and the anteriormost postabdominal spine sharply pointed and curved markedly and evenly forward. The upper pectoral-fin ray is pigmented in specimens larger than 2.0 cm SL.
Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2025, Argyropelecus olfersii in Fishes of Australia, accessed 09 Aug 2026, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/5369
Olfer's Hatchetfish, Argyropelecus olfersii (Cuvier 1829)
More Info
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Distribution |
Coral Sea east of Moreton Island, Queensland, and the Norfolk Ridge, north of Norfolk Island, inside AUS EEZ. Elsewhere the species is worldwide at meso- and bathypelagic depths, undertaking moderate vertical diurnal migrations: usually 800-900 m during the day, and 100-450 m at night. |
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Features |
Dorsal fin 9; Anal fin 12; Gill rakers 15-17; Vertebrae 36-38. Lower jaw with large pair of canine teeth; anteriormost iliac spine sharply pointed, curved markedly and evenly forward; lower opercular spine downward and curved forward; upper opercular spine short, directed outward; ventral line of abdominal keel usually with a concave notch in front of anterior post-abdominal spine. Photophores: PV 12; VAV 4; AC 6 + 4; OV, VAV, ACB & ACC photophores in distinct compact clusters, not in a straight or continuous line; distance between ACB and ACC groups less than width of last 2.5-3 ACB photophores. |
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Similar Species |
Differs from other species in the genus Argyropelecus in having the following combination of characters: enlarged canines on the dentary, a pair of smooth, about or nearly equal-sized postabdominal spines, dorsal blade height 10.5-13.3% postorbital body length, and in lacking spines below the ACC photophores. |
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Etymology |
The species is named in honour of German naturalist Ignaz von Olfers, who discovered this species near the Azores. |
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Species Citation |
Sternoptyx olfersii Cuvier 1829, Le Règne Animal (Ed. 2) 2: 316, Pl. 13 (fig. 2). Type locality: Atlantic southeast of Cape of Good Hope, South Africa |
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Author |
Bray, D.J. 2025 |
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Resources |
Olfer's Hatchetfish, Argyropelecus olfersii (Cuvier 1829)
References
Cuvier, G. 1829. Le Règne Animal, distribué d'après son organisation, pour servir de base à l'histoire naturelle des animaux et d'introduction à l'anatomie comparée. Paris : Déterville Vol. 2, Edn 2, i-xv + pp. 1-406. See ref at BHL
Harold, A.S. 1999. Families Gonostomatidae, Sternoptychidae, Phosichthyidae, Astronesthidae, Stomiidae, Chauliodontidae, Melanostomiidae, Idiacanthidae, Malacosteidae. pp. 1896-1917 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, V.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 3 pp. 1397-2068.
Harold, A. & Milligan, R. 2019. Argyropelecus olfersii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T18253287A21913744. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T18253287A21913744.en. Accessed on 13 December 2025.
Harold, A.S., Stewart, A.L. & Roberts, C.D. 2015. 67 Family Sternoptychidae, pp. 446-468, in Roberts, C.D., Stewart, A.L. & Struthers, C.D. The Fishes of New Zealand. Wellington : Te Papa Press Vol. 2 pp. 1-576.
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. 2020. https://doi.org/10.4060/cb0365en
