Oder Beryciformes Family Trachichthyidae(Slimeheads). Darwin's slimehead Gephyroberyx darwinii(Johnson, 1866). Max length/60.0 cm TL. common length/45.0 cm TL Synonym/Gephyroberyx japonicus Korean name/nab-jak-geum-nun-dom(납작금눈돔) Japanese name/ハシキンメ(Hashikinme) Chinese name/達氏橋棘鯛. D/spine 7-8 soft ray13~14. A/spine 3 soft ray 11~12. P1/14. Ventral scutes/12-14. Lateral line scale/29-31
Distribution; Indo-Pacific/off Natal(South Africa), Bay of Bengal, southern Australia, Chatham Plateau around New Zealand, and the Philippines, Japan, Jeju island of Korea. Also in northern South America. Eastern Atlantic/Madeira and the Canary Islands to Senegal, Gulf of Guinea and South Africa. Western Atlantic/southern Scotian Shelf, Canada to Greater Antilles, western Caribbean, Panama and northern Gulf of Mexico. General; ※ Note/There is confusion between the scientific name Gephyroberyx darwinii and Gephyroberyx japonicus. These two species were known to be different species, but were later discovered to be the same species, and Gephyroberyx japonicus was synonymized with Gephyroberyx darwinii. Therefore, Gephyroberyx darwinii is the official name. Many descriptions made when the two species were known to be different species still remain on authoritative sites, so it can be confusing if you don't know this fact. Whether G. japonicus or G. darwinii, the Japanese name for both is commonly “ハシキンメ(Hashikinme)”.(data/as of 2023). Information Source/①Illustrated Fishes in Color Revised Edition, published by HOKURYUKAN CO., LTD. Japan. 2005. ②臺灣魚類資料庫(fish data base of Taiwan (http//fishdb.sinica.edu.tw)
The body is oval, with deep depth and compressed laterally. Body depth about 2.1 times in SL. The head is large and tall, with a concave profile at tip of snout. Snout blunt and short. Head has a large mucous cavity covered by tough skin. Mouth large and oblique. There are small teeth on both jaws, vomer, and palatal bone. The posterior end of the upper jaw reaches the posterior margin of eye. Numerous bony ridges below and behind the eyes. There is a large strong sharp spine extending backwards at the bottom of preopercle. Opercle with a large strong spine. Small ctenoid scales on the body. The lateral line slopes downward roughly straightly toward the tail. 9 to 16 very robust scutes on the midline of the abdomen between the pelvic and anal fins origin. Anus just before anal fin. Dorsal fin single, spine part and soft ray part of dorsal fin are connected without notch. Dorsal fin spine is 8, and the 4th spine is the longest. The length of the last spine of the dorsal fin is longer than the length of the second last spine. The pectoral fin located at lower side of the body, with the posterior end reaching the end of the base of dorsal fin spine part. .The caudal fin is deep in height and forked, both lobes rounded but the rear ends are relatively narrow. Caudal fin with 4-8 short, spiny rays at top and bottom of its base. Lateral line scales larger than surrounding scales and each with a small, flat, triangular spine.
When they are alive in the water, their entire body, including their fins, may be pale pink or reddish pink or red color. The fins are not patterned with spots or blotches. Tongue and gill cavity blackish; palate white to red. Lives close to or on the bottom of the upper continental slope. Depth range 9~1210 m, usually 200~500 m. Subtropical; 43°N - 35°S. Prefers rocky substrates. Feed on small shrimps and fish. A deep sea species, nonetheless, the young are often found near the coast. Utilized as fishmeal and source of oil in eastern central Atlantic.
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