Eared blacksmelt

Lipolagus ochotensis

Fish
IUCN: Not evaluated

Usual depth0–40 m
Water temperature5–26 °C
Best monthsApril
How commonCommon

About this species

Lipolagus ochotensis, the eared blacksmelt, is a species of deep-sea smelt found in the Pacific Ocean down to depths of 6,100 m (20,000 ft). This species grows to a length of 16 cm (6.3 in).

Text from the Wikipedia article “Lipolagus”, 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: 1,571 records
February: 1,428 records
March: 1,129 records
April: 2,657 records
May: 1,117 records
June: 493 records
July: 470 records
August: 98 records
September: 8 records
October: 43 records
November: 155 records
December: 123 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 0–40 m · Deepest record: 7,356.5 m

0–10 m: 637 records
10–20 m: 6 records
20–30 m: 0 records
30–40 m: 1 records
40–50 m: 6 records
50–60 m: 1 records
60–70 m: 4 records
70–80 m: 2 records
80–90 m: 0 records
90–100 m: 0 records
100–110 m: 6 records
110+ m: 56 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 5–26 °C

4–6 °C: 2 records
6–8 °C: 0 records
8–10 °C: 6 records
10–12 °C: 26 records
12–14 °C: 192 records
14–16 °C: 351 records
16–18 °C: 312 records
18–20 °C: 8 records
20–22 °C: 0 records
22–24 °C: 1 records
24–26 °C: 1 records

Names and classification

English: Eared blacksmelt, Popeyed blacksmelt, Fatty Deepsea Smelt, Popeye Blacksmelt

Names in 2 more languages

French: garcette à oreilles
Japanese: Sokoiwashi, ソコイワシ

Other scientific names: Bathylagus nakazawai, Bathylagus ochotensis, Leuroglossus ochotensis

Similar species

Snubnose Blacksmelt
Bathylagoides wesethi
Northern smoothtongue
Leuroglossus schmidti
Antarctic Big-eyed Smelt
Bathylagus antarcticus
Slender blacksmelt
Bathylagus pacificus
Longsnout blacksmelt
Dolicholagus longirostris
Bigscale deepsea smelt
Melanolagus bericoides

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).
10,099 open-data records from 1951 to 2023.
Species data updated November 4, 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