Longfin escolar

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The longfin escolar, Scombrolabrax heterolepis, 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.

The longfin escolar is unique among fishes for having several of its vertebrae hollowed out and filled by evaginations of the gas bladder.

References

[Scombrolabrax heterolepis (TSN 172366)]. Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 18 April 2006.
["Scombrolabracidae"]. FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. January 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.
"[Scombrolabrax heterolepis]." FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. January 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.
J. S. Nelson, Fishes of the World.

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