Teleostei (teleosts) >
Notacanthiformes (Halosaurs and deep-sea spiny eels) >
Halosauridae (Halosaurs)
Etymology: Halosaurus: Greek, als, alis = salt + Greek, sauros = lizard (Ref. 45335).
Eponymy: Dr Albert Karl Ludwig Gotthilf Günther (1830–1914) was a German-born British zoologist, ichthyologist and herpetologist. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
More on authors: Goode & Bean.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathypelagic; depth range 550 - 1600 m (Ref. 4448). Deep-water
Eastern Atlantic: Western Sahara to Mauritania, and the Canary Islands. Western Atlantic: New York, USA to Venezuela, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. Reported off the Guianas (Ref. 13608).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 60.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 4448)
Scales present on the dorsal surface of the head and one lateral line scale for each myotome. Grayish white with a dark brown checkerboard or net like pattern formed by dark spots on each scale pocket (Ref. 37108).
Body shape (shape guide): eel-like.
Inhabits bathyal depths. Feeds on small crustaceans, annelids, mollusks and echinoderms (Ref. 4448).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Sulak, K.J., 1990. Halosauridae. p. 126-132. In J.C. Quero, J.C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha (eds.) Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA). JNICT, Lisbon; SEI, Paris; and UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 1. (Ref. 4448)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Tools
Special reports
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 4.2 - 10, mean 6.5 °C (based on 275 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5020 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00085 (0.00033 - 0.00223), b=3.07 (2.84 - 3.30), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.4 ±0.41 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate vulnerability (44 of 100).
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