Graceful pearlfish
Encheliophis gracilis
- Usual depth2–62 m
- Water temperature20–30 °C
- Best monthsAugust, October, and November
- How commonRare
About this species
Encheliophis is a genus of pearlfishes, with seven currently recognized species:Encheliophis boraborensis (Kaup, 1856) Encheliophis chardewalli Parmentier, 2004 Encheliophis gracilis (Bleeker, 1856) Encheliophis homei (J. Richardson, 1846) Encheliophis sagamianus (S. Tanaka, 1908) Encheliophis vermicularis J. P. Müller, 1842 Encheliophis vermiops Markle & Olney, 1990
Text from the Wikipedia article “Encheliophis”, 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: 1 records
- February: 4 records
- March: 0 records
- April: 1 records
- May: 3 records
- June: 1 records
- July: 4 records
- August: 6 records
- September: 3 records
- October: 6 records
- November: 8 records
- December: 3 records
Depth and water temperature
Depth
Mostly recorded at 2–62 m · Deepest record: 63 m
Water temperature
Recorded in surface water of 20–30 °C
Names and classification
- English
- Graceful pearlfish, graceful pearlfish, Graceful Pearlfish, Slender Pearlfish
Names in 2 more languages
- Japanese
- Shimofurikakureuo, シモフリカクレウオ
- Simplified Chinese
- 海參鰻, 纖細隱魚, 隱魚, 鰻形細潛魚, 鰻形細隱魚
Other scientific names: Carapus gracilis, Carapus houlti, Enchelyophis gracilis, Fierasfer houlti, Fierasfer umbratilis, Jordanicus gracilis, Oxybeles gracilis
Similar species
- Pinhead Pearlfish
Encheliophis boraborensis
- Silver pearlfish
Encheliophis homei
- Finless pearlfish
Encheliophis vermicularis
- Pygmy Pearlfish
Encheliophis vermiops
Fowler's pearlfishOnuxodon fowleri
- Star Pearlfish
Carapus mourlani
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).
- 131 open-data records from 1856 to 2017.
- Species data updated November 2, 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.