Lestrolepis nigroventralis Ho, Tsai & Li, 2019
Black-belly barracudina

Family:  Lestidiidae (Naked barracudinas)
Max. size:  24.9 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  pelagic; marine; depth range 0 - 100 m
Distribution:  Northwestern Pacific: Japan and Taiwan; maybe widespread.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-9; Anal soft rays: 41-43; Vertebrae: 94-98. This species is distinguished by the following characters: a relatively slender body, its body depth 15-19 times in SL; dorsal-fin origin at about midline of distance between the origins of pelvic and anal fins (V-A), the distance between the origins of pelvic and dorsal fins (V-D) 46.8-55.0% of V–A; pelvic-fin origin (VFO) at or slightly behind the midline of the fish, the prepelvic length 50.6-53.2% SL; vertebrae: prehaemal 32-35, prepelvic 33-35, preanal 53-57, caudal 60-66, total 94-98; lateral-line scales 75-81; the abdomen ridge with broad black margin (Ref. 121637).
Biology:  Collected by midwater trawl from surface to less than 100 meters, suggesting that it is a mesopelagic species that may have diurnal vertical migration. Stomach contents have myctophids or other pelagic fishes such as Bregmaceros spp. than sakura shrimps (Lucensosergia lucens) (Ref. 121637).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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