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Pseudobathylagus

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Pseudobathylagus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Argentiniformes
Family: Bathylagidae
Genus: Pseudobathylagus
Kobyliansky, 1986
Species:
P. milleri
Binomial name
Pseudobathylagus milleri

Pseudobathylagus milleri, the Stout blacksmelt, also called the Owlfish due to its large eyes relative to its body, is a species of deep-sea smelt native to the north Pacific Ocean where it is found to depths of 6,600 m (21,700 ft). This species grows to a length of 16.5 cm (6.5 in). It is the only species in the genus Pseudobathylagus.

Description, taxonomy, and etymology

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Pseudobathylagus milleri is a deep-sea smelt that was originally characterized as Bathylagus milleri by D. S. Jordan and C. H. Gilbert in 1898 based on a specimen collected at Cortes Bank, 1,419 m (4,660 ft) from the surface.[2] It was named after their linguist colleague at Stanford University, Walter Miller, for his contribution to zoological nomenclature.[3] In 1939, W. M. Chapman described a new species Bathylagus alascanus, named after the location they were collected from, Alaska.[4] However, Chapman's specimens were later considered to be also B. milleri.[5] In 1986, N. V. Parin described anatomical differences compared to Bathylagus species, such as the absence of orbitosphenoid and postcleithrum.[6] He thus reclassified it to Pseudobathylagus milleri (from Greek ψεύδης, pseudés = false), which is currently the only species under Pseudobathylagus. Parin also noted that the eyes of larvae are not stalked, which is a common feature among Bathylagus. The eyes are remarkably larger compared to other fishes in Bathylagidae as well, leading to the common name "Owlfish".[7]

Ecology

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Pseudobathylagus milleri is widely distributed across the North Pacific Ocean, having been spotted from the east coast of Japan to the west coast of the U.S., and as far north as the Bering Sea.[8][9][10] As a deep-sea smelt, Pseudobathylagus milleri generally lives in the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zones of the ocean.[11] Nevertheless, specimens have been collected from depths of as shallow as 250 m (820 ft) and as deep as 6,600 m (21,700 ft).[8][12][13]

Their diet include small crustaceans such as Copepoda and Gammaridea.[11][14] Gut content examination also found parasitic digenean trematodes in Pseudobathylagus milleri, including Aponurus argentini in the stomach, and Steringophorus congeri and Paraccacladium sp. in the intestine.[15]

Reproduction and development

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The reproduction of Pseudobathylagus milleri is oviparous. Larvae have been reported to be more abundant during spring from December to April.[16][17] The larvae are about 5 mm long when hatching.[17] The body length of adults can range from below 10 cm (3.9 in) to over 20 cm (7.9 in).[18][11]

Genetics

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Pseudobathylagus milleri has 30 pairs of chromosomes (2n = 60). They vary greatly in size, with the X chromosome being the largest and about twice of the next largest, seven pairs of intermediate sizes, and the Y chromosome among the smallest, dot-like chromosomes.[19][20] The nuclear genome has not been sequenced, but partial sequences of some mitochondrial genes, including cytochrome oxidase subunit I and cytochrome b, are available for DNA barcoding.[21][22]

References

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  1. ^ Balanov, A.A. (2017) [errata version of 2010 assessment]. "Pseudobathylagus milleri". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T155009A115260640. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T155009A4693906.en. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  2. ^ Jordan, David Starr; Evermann, Barton Warren (1898). The fishes of North and Middle America : a descriptive catalogue of the species of fish-like vertebrates found in the waters of North America, north of the Isthmus of Panama. Vol. 3. Washington: Smithsonian Institution, United States National Museum. p. 2825. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.46755.
  3. ^ Miller, Walter (1897). Scientific names of Latin and Greek derivation. Vol. 1. San Francisco, Cal: California Academy of Sciences (published April 10, 1897).
  4. ^ Chapman, Wilbert McLeod (1939). "Eleven new species and three new genera of oceanic fishes collected by the International Fisheries Commission from the northeastern Pacific". Proceedings of the United States National Museum. 86 (3062): 501–542. doi:10.5479/si.00963801.86-3062.501. hdl:10088/16305. ISSN 0096-3801.
  5. ^ Cohen, Daniel M. (1966). "The North Pacific Deepsea Fish Name Bathylagus milleri Gilbert, a Senior Synonym of Bathylagus alascanus Chapman". Copeia. 1966 (4): 877–878. doi:10.2307/1441419. ISSN 0045-8511. JSTOR 1441419.
  6. ^ Parin, Nikolai Vasilyevich, ed. (1986). РЫБЫ ОКЕАНСКОЙ ПЕЛАГИАЛИ И ПОДВОДНЫХ ПОДНЯТИЙ [Fishes of the Oceanic Pelagial and Submarine Rises] (in Russian). Vol. 121. Moscow: Nauka. p. 43.
  7. ^ "Owlfish". Monterey Bay Aquarium. Retrieved 2025-02-17.
  8. ^ a b Sassa, C.; Kawaguchi, K.; Taki, K. (2007-03-01). "Larval mesopelagic fish assemblages in the Kuroshio–Oyashio transition region of the western North Pacific". Marine Biology. 150 (6): 1403–1415. doi:10.1007/s00227-006-0434-x. ISSN 1432-1793.
  9. ^ Moser, H. Geoffrey, ed. (1996). The early stages of fishes in the California current region: California cooperative oceanic fisheries investigations. Atlas. Lawrence, Kan: Allen Press. ISBN 978-0-935868-82-1.
  10. ^ Orlov, A.; Binohlan, C. (2009). "Length–weight relationships of deep-sea fishes from the western Bering Sea". Journal of Applied Ichthyology. 25 (2): 223–227. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0426.2009.01215.x. ISSN 1439-0426.
  11. ^ a b c Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2025). "Pseudobathylagus milleri". FishBase.
  12. ^ Sinclair, E. H; Stabeno, P. J (2002-12-01). "Mesopelagic nekton and associated physics of the southeastern Bering Sea". Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography. Ecology of the SE Bering Sea. 49 (26): 6127–6145. doi:10.1016/S0967-0645(02)00337-5. ISSN 0967-0645.
  13. ^ Shinohara, Gento; Yabe, Mamoru; Nakaya, Kazuhiro; Anma, Gen; Yamaguchi, Shuichi; Amaoka, Kunio (1994). "Deep-sea Fishes Collected from the North Pacific by the T/S OSHORO-MARU". 北海道大學水産學部研究彙報. 45 (2): 48–80. ISSN 0018-3458.
  14. ^ Sobolevskii, E.I. (1996). "The spatial structure and trophic connections of abundant pelagic fish of Eastern Kamchatka in the Autumn and Winter". Journal of Ichthyology. 36: 30–39.
  15. ^ Kuramochi, Toshiaki (2009). "Digenean trematodes of fishes from deep-sea areas off the Pacific Coast of Northern Honshu, Japan" (PDF). Deep-sea Fauna and Pollutants off Pacific Coast of Northern Japan. 39. National Museum of Nature and Science Monographs: 25–37.
  16. ^ Sassa, C.; Kawaguchi, K.; Taki, K. (2007-03-01). "Larval mesopelagic fish assemblages in the Kuroshio–Oyashio transition region of the western North Pacific". Marine Biology. 150 (6): 1403–1415. doi:10.1007/s00227-006-0434-x. ISSN 1432-1793.
  17. ^ a b Moser, H. Geoffrey, ed. (1996). The early stages of fishes in the California current region: California cooperative oceanic fisheries investigations. Atlas. Lawrence, Kan: Allen Press. ISBN 978-0-935868-82-1.
  18. ^ Orlov, A.; Binohlan, C. (2009). "Length–weight relationships of deep-sea fishes from the western Bering Sea". Journal of Applied Ichthyology. 25 (2): 223–227. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0426.2009.01215.x. ISSN 1439-0426.
  19. ^ Ebeling, A. W.; Setzer, P. Y. (1971). "Cytological Confirmation of Female Homogamety in the Deep-Sea Fish Bathylagus milleri". Copeia. 1971 (3): 560–562. doi:10.2307/1442460. ISSN 0045-8511. JSTOR 1442460.
  20. ^ Chen, T. R. (18 March 1969). "Karyological heterogamety of deep-sea fishes". Postilla. 130: 1–29.
  21. ^ Steinke, Dirk; Zemlak, Tyler S.; Boutillier, James A.; Hebert, Paul D. N. (2009-11-01). "DNA barcoding of Pacific Canada's fishes". Marine Biology. 156 (12): 2641–2647. doi:10.1007/s00227-009-1284-0. ISSN 1432-1793.
  22. ^ Hastings, Philip A.; Burton, Ron S. (2008-11-01). "Establishing a DNA Sequence Database for the Marine Fish Fauna of California". UC San Diego: California Sea Grant College Program.
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