Razorback scabbardfish
Assurger anzac
- Usual depth125–349 m
- Water temperature14–28 °C
- Best monthsJanuary, February, and July
- How commonRare
About this species
The razorback scabbardfish, Assurger anzac, is a rare species of cutlassfish, family Trichiuridae, and the only member of its genus. It has been caught from scattered locations worldwide: in the Atlantic Ocean it is known from off Puerto Rico, Uruguay, and the Walvis Ridge, in the Indian Ocean it is known from off western Australia, and in the Pacific Ocean it is known from off New Guinea, southern Japan, Midway Island, California, and the Nazca and Sala y Gomez Ridges. Adults are thought to be benthopelagic, occurring at a depth of 150–400 meters (490–1,310 ft), while juveniles are found near the surface or in midwater.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Razorback scabbardfish”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article
Where and when
Where it has been recorded
Worldwide
Loading the map
Best months
Worldwide (open data)
- January: 3 records
- February: 2 records
- March: 0 records
- April: 0 records
- May: 0 records
- June: 0 records
- July: 2 records
- August: 2 records
- September: 0 records
- October: 0 records
- November: 1 records
- December: 0 records
Depth and water temperature
Depth
Mostly recorded at 125–349 m · Deepest record: 349 m
Water temperature
Recorded in surface water of 14–28 °C
Names and classification
- English
- Razorback scabbardfish, Short-headed tyranfish, Anzac Frost-fish, razorback scabbardfish
Names in 2 more languages
- Spanish
- sable aserrado
- Japanese
- Nagayumetachimodoki, ナガユメタチモドキ
Other scientific names: Assurger alexanderi, Evoxymetopon anzac
Similar species
- Atlantic cutlass fish
Trichiurus lepturus
- Black scabbardfish
Aphanopus carbo
- Slender frostfish
Benthodesmus tenuis
- Becker's Scabbardfish
Aphanopus beckeri
- Capricorn Escabbardfish
Aphanopus capricornis
- Tucker's frostfish
Benthodesmus tuckeri
Sources and credits
Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).
- Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
- Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
- Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
- 27 open-data records from 1916 to 2008.
Log what you see on your next dive
The free DiveHive diver app keeps your logbook with every sighting and shows what lives at the site you dive next.