Trachonurus Gunther, 1887
Diagnosis: body fairly slender, fairly compressed, tapering evenly to a long and pointed tail. Snout short, bluntly acute; mouth subterminal, small, upper jaw about one-third head length, teeth small and conical in bands in both jaws; chin barbel less than eye diameter; gillrakers 5-6; branchiostegal rays 7. First dorsal fin with 9-11 finrays, the second finray smooth; second dorsal fin beginning behind vertical from anal fin origin, the finrays short; pectoral fin with 15-17 finrays; pelvic fin with 7 finrays, inserted behind pectoral-base and about below dorsal fin origin. Scales with relatively few erect spinules, giving a bristly appearance; head fully scaled, including gular and branchiostegal membranes. Pyloric caeca (no data). Anus surrounded by a band of black naked skin which extends back to anal fin origin and forward to between pelvic fin bases. Colour: generally dark brown to black. Size: to at least 45 cm TL.
Habitat: benthopelagic at 514-1,590 m. Food: no data. Reproduction: no data.
Distribution: the Azores, Madeira and off Morocco. Elsewhere, western Atlantic (Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean) and Pacific (Indonesia, Philip pines, off Japan, Hawaii).
Species 1.
Recent revision: Marshall (1973—western North Atlantic).
Species of this genus in the program:
Trachonurus villosus