Silver gemfish

Taxobox
name = Silver gemfish
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Actinopterygii
ordo = Perciformes
familia = Gempylidae
genus = "Rexea"
species = "R. solandri"
binomial = "Rexea solandri"
binomial_authority = (Cuvier, 1832)

The silver gemfish or gemfish, "Rexea solandri", is a snake mackerel of the genus "Rexea", found in south eastern Australia and around New Zealand at depths of between 100 and 700 m. Its length is between 60 and 180 cm.

The silver gemfish is a deeper bodied, larger version of the barracouta, "Thyrsites atun", with larger eyes and an even more impressive array of teeth than the barracouta. There are only two finlets between the dorsal and anal fins and the caudal fin, and the pelvic fin is minute. This fish is unusual in having two lateral lines, one running beneath the dorsal fin on each side and the other along the middle of each flank.

Coloration is pale iridescent blue on the upper back, with silver flanks and belly, and a black patch on the front of the dorsal fin.

They are voracious midwater carnivores, often making excursions to the bottom to feed, and take mainly squid, crustaceans, lantern fish, dories and rattails.

References

*
* Tony Ayling & Geoffrey Cox, "Collins Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand", (William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1982) ISBN 0-00-216987-8
* Wade Doak, "A Photographic Guide to Sea Fishes of New Zealand", (New Holland Publishers (NZ) Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 2003) ISBN 1-877246-95-6