Domine (fish) explained

The Domine (Epinnula magistralis) is a tropical species of snake mackerel found in all oceans at depths of from 176mto488mm (577feetto1,601feetm). This species can reach a length of 100cm (00inches) SL, though most do not exceed 45cm (18inches).^[1]

Description

The Domine is identified by its deep, yet slender and compressed body, distinguishing it from other elongate snake mackerels. The largest specimen collected reached a meter in length, though few exceed 45cm (18inches). Its genus name, Epinnula, refers to its lack of finlets, unlike the related Oilfish. Its jaws are fanged, some of which remain exposed even when the mouth is closed. It is a pale, grey-blue color, which becomes darker from the head to the tail.^[2]

Habitat & Ecology

The Domine has only been found in the Caribbean off the coast of Cuba, the Bahamas, and the Virgin Islands. It is likely mesopelagic, having been found at depths between 176mto488mm (577feetto1,601feetm).

See also

• Epinnula pacifica

Notes and References

1. Ho . Hsuan-Ching . Motomura . Hiroyuki . Hata . Harutaka . Jiang . Wei-Chuan . 2017-12-12 . Review of the fish genus Epinnula Poey (Perciformes: Gempylidae), with description of a new species from the Pacific Ocean . Zootaxa . 4363 . 3 . 10.11646/zootaxa.4363.3.5 . 1175-5334.
2. Nakamura, I. and N.V. Parin, 1993. FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 15. Snake mackerels and cutlassfishes of the world (families Gempylidae and Trichiuridae). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the snake mackerels, snoeks, escolars, gemfishes, sackfishes, domine, oilfish, cutlassfishes,. scabbardfishes, hairtails, and frostfishes known to date. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(15):136 p.