Abyssal grenadier

Coryphaenoides armatus

Fish
IUCN: Least concern

Usual depth1,911–4,254 m
Water temperature3–29 °C
Best monthsJuly
How commonOccasional

About this species

The abyssal grenadier, Coryphaenoides armatus, is an abyssal fish of the genus Coryphaenoides, found in all the world's oceans, at depths between 800 and 5,493 metres. Its adult length is 20 to 40 centimetres, although Fishbase gives lengths up to 1 metre. The abyssal grenadier's body is unique in that it contains two dorsal spines and about 124 dorsal soft rays, which are the flexible jointed rays supporting a fin nearest to the back in the spinal column. It has no anal spines, but has 115 anal soft rays along its body. The head and eyes of this fish are very large, while the mouth is very small. The color of the abyssal grenadier is brown apart from the abdomen, which is bluish.

Text from the Wikipedia article “Abyssal grenadier”, 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: 8 records
February: 7 records
March: 21 records
April: 17 records
May: 10 records
June: 8 records
July: 146 records
August: 59 records
September: 21 records
October: 10 records
November: 18 records
December: 2 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 1,911–4,254 m · Deepest record: 7,386.5 m

0–10 m: 4 records
10–20 m: 0 records
20–30 m: 0 records
30–40 m: 0 records
40–50 m: 0 records
50–60 m: 0 records
60–70 m: 0 records
70–80 m: 0 records
80–90 m: 0 records
90–100 m: 0 records
100–110 m: 0 records
110+ m: 323 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 3–29 °C

2–4 °C: 4 records
4–6 °C: 5 records
6–8 °C: 15 records
8–10 °C: 100 records
10–12 °C: 45 records
12–14 °C: 85 records
14–16 °C: 27 records
16–18 °C: 41 records
18–20 °C: 18 records
20–22 °C: 12 records
22–24 °C: 9 records
24–26 °C: 5 records
26–28 °C: 1 records
28–30 °C: 2 records

Names and classification

English: Abyssal grenadier, Abyssal grenedier, Russet grenadier, abyssal grenadier, Abyssal grenadier, Armed grenadier, abyssal grenedier, Abyssal Macrourid, Armed Grenadier, armoured rat-tail, Cosmopolitan Rattail, russet grenadier, smooth abyssal grenadier, smoothscale rattail, Smooth-scale Rattail

Names in 3 more languages

Spanish: Granadero Abisal, granadero máximo
French: Grenadier abyssal, Grenadier abyssal, Grenadier armé, Grenadier Armé, grenadier roux
Japanese: Yoroidara, ヨロイダラ

Other scientific names: Coryphaenoides (Nematonurus) armatus, Coryphaenoides abyssorum, Coryphaenoides cyclolepis, Coryphaenoides gigas, Coryphaenoides suborbitalis, Coryphaenoides variabilis, Dolloa cyclolepis, Hymenocephalus goodei, Macrurus armatus, Macrurus asper, Macrurus cyclolepis, Macrurus goodii, Macrurus suborbitalis, Moseleya cyclolepis, Nematonurus abyssorum, Nematonurus armatus, Nematonurus cyclolepis, Nematonurus gigas, Nematonurus goodei, Nematonurus suborbitalis

Similar species

Serrulate Rattail
Coryphaenoides serrulatus
Four-rayed Rattail
Coryphaenoides subserrulatus
Pacific grenadier
Coryphaenoides acrolepis
Popeye
Coryphaenoides cinereus
Humpback Whiptail
Coryphaenoides dossenus
Abyssal Rattail
Coryphaenoides murrayi

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).
552 open-data records from 1873 to 2024.
Species data updated November 1, 2026.

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.

Join the waitlist