Animalia Life

Luvarus imperialis
FAMILY
Luvaridae
TAXONOMY
Luvarus imperialis Rafinesque, 1810, Sicily, Italy.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
Japanese: Amashiira.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Fusiform body, which is compressed slightly and streamlined. Pelvic fins are absent. The head is blunt, with a projecting forehead, and there is a groove above the eye. Opercular spines are flattened. Scales are dentroid and minute. The caudal peduncle has small accessory keels that flank the large caudal keel. The mouth is small and slightly protrusible. Metamorphosis from larvae to adults involves considerable change. Numerous juvenile characters are absent in adults. For example, juveniles possess jaw teeth, fin spines, and a rudimentary locking mechanism. Grows to 78.7 in (200 cm) in length.
DISTRIBUTION
Tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters of the Atlantic (including the Mediterranean Sea), Indian, and Pacific Oceans.
HABITAT
Epipelagic, from the surface to relatively deeper waters.
BEHAVIOR
Poorly known. This species generally is solitary in the open ocean but probably aggregates for courtship and spawning.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Feeds on gelatinous mesoplankton, primarily jellyfishes and ctenophores.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Not well known. Spawning commences in late spring and runs throughout the summer months. Species is reportedly quite fecund; one female examined had an estimated 47.5 million eggs. Pelagic spawning with pelagic larvae.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not listed by the IUCN.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
May be taken incidentally in commercial fisheries.

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