Author: Valenciennes, 1833
Anoplogaster cornuta Valenciennes, 1833
Status in World Register of Marine Species:
Accepted name: Anoplogaster cornuta (Valenciennes, 1833) (updated 2009-06-25)
Diagnosis: considerable metamorphosis in morphological features from juvenile to adult stage. Juvenile characters: long cephalic and pre-opercular spine; big eye, decreasing in length and diameter respectively with growth; teeth on jaws small, multiserial on premaxillaries; no teeth on palatine and vomer; gillrakers long and slender. Adult characters: no cephalic and preopercular spines; eye small; teeth on jaws long, fang- like; widely spaced, uniserial, minute teeth on palatine in some; gillrakers tooth-like in groups on bony bases. Common characters: no spines in fins; anal fin short, its base less than 50% of dorsal fin base; D 17-20; A 7-9; P 14-16; V 7. Vertebrae 28. Colour: brownish- grey. Size: to 152 mm SL.
Habitat: meso- to bathypelagic; adults at greater depths than juveniles. Swimming in small groups or singly. Food: carnivorous, feeding on crustaceans when young and on fish mainly when adult. Reproduction: dioecious, ripe at about 130 mm SL; reproduction areas unknown, but probably no special spawning areas.
Distribution: worldwide in temperate and warm waters between 46° N and 46° S.
Eggs, larvae and young stages. Anoplogaster cornuta is the young form of Caulolepis longidens.
Otoliths (sagitta). No data.