Sloane's Viperfish
Chauliodus sloani
- Least concern
- Card rarity: Common
- Fish
The Sloane's viperfish, is a predatory mesopelagic dragonfish found in waters across the world. The species was first described by German scientists Marcus Elieser Bloch and Johann Gottlob Schneider in their 1801 book Systema ichthyologiae: iconibus CX illustratum, volume 1. Female C. sloani reach maturity between 133 and 191 mm, while males likely reach maturity at slightly smaller body lengths. It has two rows of photophores along its ventral side. It is believed that C. sloani can adjust the intensity of bioluminescence of the ventral photophores to camouflage itself from predators that might see its shadow from below.
Classification
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Order
- Stomiiformes
- Family
- Stomiidae
- Genus
- Chauliodus