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The Bathysauridae are a small family of deepwater aulopiform fish, related to the telescopefishes. The two species in the family both belong to the genus ''Bathysaurus''. Commonly called deepwater lizardfishes or deepsea lizardfishes, the latter name usually refers to the species ''B. ferox'' specifically.
Physically, the bathysaurids resemble the lizardfishes, as reflected in their common names. They can be distinguished from the lizardfishes by their flatter heads and curved and barbed teeth. They are moderately sized fish, up to in length.
Bathysaurids inhabit the deep oceans, below depth. They are one of the world's deepest living
The Bathysauridae are a small family of deepwater aulopiform fish, related to the telescopefishes. The two species in the family both belong to the genus ''Bathysaurus''. Commonly called deepwater lizardfishes or deepsea lizardfishes, the latter name usually refers to the species ''B. ferox'' specifically.
Physically, the bathysaurids resemble the lizardfishes, as reflected in their common names. They can be distinguished from the lizardfishes by their flatter heads and curved and barbed teeth. They are moderately sized fish, up to in length.
Bathysaurids inhabit the deep oceans, below depth. They are one of the world's deepest living apex predator
An apex predator, also known as a top predator or superpredator, is a predator at the top of a food chain, without natural predators of its own.
Apex predators are usually defined in terms of trophic dynamics, meaning that they occupy the hig ...
s, and will not hesitate to eat anything they meet, including their own kind.
Their larva
A larva (; : larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into their next life stage. Animals with indirect development such as insects, some arachnids, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase ...
e were originally believed to represent a distinct genus (''Macristium'') and even family.
The two bathysaurid species, ''Bathysaurus mollis'' and ''Bathysaurus ferox'' are hermaphrodite
A hermaphrodite () is a sexually reproducing organism that produces both male and female gametes. Animal species in which individuals are either male or female are gonochoric, which is the opposite of hermaphroditic.
The individuals of many ...
s, meaning they sport both male and female sex organs, but not much is known about their mating and breeding habits due to the great depth the two species live at.
Species
The currently recognized species in this genus are: * '' Bathysaurus ferox'' Günther, 1878 (deepsea lizardfish) * '' Bathysaurus mollis'' Günther, 1878 (highfin lizardfish)References
{{Taxonbar, from1=Q18549895, from2=Q1354430 Aulopiformes Aulopiformes families