- Bluefin driftfish
Taxobox | name = Bluefin driftfish
image_caption = Drawing by Dr Tony Ayling
regnum =Animalia
phylum =Chordata
classis =Actinopterygii
ordo =Perciformes
familia =Nomeidae
genus = "Psenes "
species = "P. pellucidus"
binomial = "Psenes pellucidus"
binomial_authority = Lütken, 1880The bluefin driftfish or scissortail, "Psenes pellucidus", is a
driftfish of the genus "Psenes ", foundpelagic ally in all the world's oceans, at depths down to 1,000 m. Its length is up to 80 cm.The bluefin driftfish has a soft and flabby almost transparent body, covered in small easily-dislodged scales. The lower jaw contains a distinctive series of large teeth and the fish feeds on
zooplankton and smallpelagic fishes. It is anoceanic species associated withjellyfish and floating weed patches.Adult body colour is a dark brown to deep purple, with dark blue eyes. Young are translucent with brown spots, and the first
dorsal fin is dark.References
*
* Tony Ayling & Geoffrey Cox, "Collins Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand", (William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand1982 ) ISBN 0-00-216987-8
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