Nesiarchus Johnson, 1862
Diagnosis: body elongate, compressed. Lower jaw strongly projecting beyond the upper; tips of jaws with cartilaginous processes, the lower much longer than upper. 3 fixed and 0-3 movable fang-like teeth in upper jaw anteriorly, 1 fang-like tooth each side of lower jaw anteriorly; no teeth on vomer. Gillrakers undeveloped. 2 free spines before anal fin, the first enlarged, dagger-like, the second often vestigial. 2 (rarely 3) dorsal and anal finlets. D XIX-XXI + I-II + 19-21 + 2-3; A II + 16-20 + 2-3, P 13; V I + 5. Scales small. Lateral line single, medio-lateral, without sharp bend anteriorly. Colour: dark brown or black with violet tints on sides. Size: to about 130 cm SL.
Habitat: oceanic, benthopelagic on continental slope or underwater rises at about 200 to 1200 m, juveniles mesopelagic. Migrating to midwater at night. Food: fishes, squids, crustaceans. Reproduction: throughout the year in warm waters, no larvae found outside tropics.
Distribution: from Iceland and Norway to the Canaries and Madeira. Elsewhere, probably worldwide in tropical and sub,tropical seas (not recorded from eastern Pacific), large-sized stragglers in temperate waters, including eastern North Atlantic.
Species 1.
Species of this genus in the program:
Nesiarchus nasutus