Pacific blackdragon

Idiacanthus antrostomus

Fish
IUCN: Least concern

Usual depth0–800 m
Water temperature12–29 °C
Best monthsJuly, October, and November
How commonOccasional

Photo credit: (c) anonymous, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · CC BY-SA · iNaturalist

About this species

Idiacanthus antrostomus, also known as the Pacific blackdragon or black sea dragon, is a species of barbeled dragonfish (Stomiidae) inhabiting the Pacific Ocean.

Text from the Wikipedia article “Idiacanthus antrostomus”, 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: 205 records
February: 65 records
March: 20 records
April: 44 records
May: 45 records
June: 82 records
July: 320 records
August: 160 records
September: 120 records
October: 379 records
November: 305 records
December: 71 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 0–800 m · Deepest record: 1,723.6 m

0–10 m: 43 records
10–20 m: 0 records
20–30 m: 1 records
30–40 m: 0 records
40–50 m: 0 records
50–60 m: 4 records
60–70 m: 0 records
70–80 m: 1 records
80–90 m: 0 records
90–100 m: 1 records
100–110 m: 4 records
110+ m: 94 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 12–29 °C

10–12 °C: 4 records
12–14 °C: 16 records
14–16 °C: 214 records
16–18 °C: 453 records
18–20 °C: 46 records
20–22 °C: 5 records
22–24 °C: 5 records
24–26 °C: 4 records
26–28 °C: 9 records
28–30 °C: 2 records

Names and classification

English: Pacific blackdragon

Names in 2 more languages

Spanish: dragón hocicudo
Japanese: Mitsumatayariuo, ナンヨウミツマタヤリウオ, ミツマタヤリウオ

Similar species

Black dragonfish
Idiacanthus atlanticus
Ribbon sawtail fish
Idiacanthus fasciola
Manylight fangfish
Chauliodus sloani
Pacific viperfish
Chauliodus macouni
Straightline dragonfish
Borostomias antarcticus
Scaleless dragonfish
Echiostoma barbatum

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).
3,490 open-data records from 1889 to 2023.
Species data updated November 3, 2026.

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