Boa
dragonfish, Stomias boa.
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Boa Dragonfish, Stomias
boa
This fearsome looking fish is distinguished from its close relative, the shortbarbel
dragonfish, by six rows of hexagons that are formed by the scales along the
sides of its body. They are located above the photophores, of which there are
8991 running lengthwise down the body. As well, the chin barbel, which
is as long as the head, has three short filaments on a bulb at the end. Its
dorsal fin is very short and close to the caudal fin. The anal fin mirrors the
dorsal fin in size, shape, and placement, while the caudal fin is short and
extremely rounded. The pelvic fins are long and placed very close to the posterior
end of the fish, while the pectoral fins are much reduced. The head is large
in comparison with the body, and the mouth has a set of nasty looking teeth
that are used to hold struggling prey before they are swallowed. A boa dragonfish
body is iridescent silver on its sides; its back and belly are black.
The boa dragonfish occurs in the North Atlantic, Pacific, and the Canadian parts
of the Arctic Ocean, but little is known about its biology due to its preferebce
for deep water habitats. However, a number of individuals have been caught at
300 m and one Canadian specimen was recovered from the stomach of a swordfish
caught off the coast of Newfoundland.