Author: (Smith, 1849)
Lepidocybium flavobrunneum (Smith, 1849)
Status in World Register of Marine Species:
Accepted name: Lepidocybium flavobrunneum (Smith, 1843) (updated 2009-06-25)
Diagnosis: body oblong, fusiform. Lower jaw slightly projecting beyond the upper; tips of jaws without cartilaginous processes. Two pairs of fang-like teeth in upper jaw anteriorly; vomer toothed. No free spines before anal fin. 4-6 detached dorsal and anal finlets. D VIII-XI + I + 15-16 + 4-6; A I + 12-14 + 4-5; P 15-16; V I + 5. Scales rather small, each surrounded by a network of tubules bearing pores. Lateral line single, markedly undulating. A strong mediolateral keel on caudal peduncle flanked by two small supplementary keels above and below. Colour: greyish-brown, becoming almost black with age. Size: to 200 cm SL, usually 100- 120 cm.
Habitat: oceanic and over continental slope, epimesopelagic down to 200 m and more. Migrating upwards at night. Food: predominantly squids, also fishes and crustaceans. Reproduction: no data.
Distribution: off Madeira. Elsewhere, worldwide in tropical and subtropical seas.
Eggs, larvae and young stages. No data.
Otoliths (sagitta). No data.