Anotopterus nikparini

North Pacific daggertooth
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Aulopiformes
Family:	Anotopteridae
Genus:	Anotopterus
Species:	A. nikparini
Binomial name
Anotopterus nikparini Kukuev, 1998

The North Pacific daggertooth, Anotopterus nikparini, is a daggertooth, the only member of the genus Anotopterus, which is the only genus in the family Anotopteridae. It is found in the North Pacific, above latitude 25°N, to depths up to and exceeding 2,000 m.

The North Pacific daggertooth is an extremely elongate scaleless fish. Large adults have a pair of dermal keels midlaterally on each side. There is a small, flexible projection at the tip of the lower jaw, and there is no rayed dorsal fin.

North Pacific daggertooth are found in a wide range of depths, sometimes near the surface to below 2,000 m. Larger adults inhabit colder water toward the poles, whereas the young and smaller adults inhabit more temperate regions. They feed on molluscs, crustaceans, marine worms, coelenterates, salps, and fishes. The distensible body wall and large stomach can accommodate prey up to half of its own length. Reproduction is oviparous, with planktonic larvae. They are preyed upon by albacore, Pacific lancetfish, halibut, steelhead salmon, blue shark, pomfret, and whales.

References

• Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2006). "Anotopterus nikparini" in FishBase. May 2006 version.