Longfin escolar
| Longfin escolar | ||||||||||||||
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| Scombrolabrax heterolepsis |
The longfin escolar Scombrolabrax heterolepsis, also known as the black mackerel, is a widespread but uncommon deep sea fish that presents some difficulties for taxonomy.
It is placed in its own family Scombrolabracidae, but the family's placement in the suborders of Perciformes has included Scombroidei, Percoidei, and Trichiuiroidei, while some authors place it in its own suborder Scombrolabracoidei.
The fish bears some resemblance to members of Gempylidae, but has protrusible premaxilla, serrated opercle and preopercle, and a spur on the lowest principal caudal ray, all of which are characteristic of percoids. It is dark brown color, and grows to 30 cm in length.
Scombrolabrax is unique among fishes for having several of its vertebra hollowed out and filled by evaginations of the gas bladder.
