Gvozdarus svetovidovi

Gvozdarus svetovidovi, the naked-head toothfish, is a species of notothen found in the Ross and Cooperation Seas, probably south of the Antarctic Polar Front from pelagic waters down to depths of 550 m (1,804 ft), though it is normally found in a pelagic environment.[1]

Gvozdarus svetovidovi
Illustration of the 2nd known specimen
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Perciformes
Suborder:	Notothenioidei
Family:	Nototheniidae
Genus:	Gvozdarus Balushkin, 1989
Species:	svetovidovi
Binomial name
Gvozdarus svetovidovi

Etymology

There are no scales present on the head except for a few non-ctenoid scales behind the eye and on the upper part of the opercles, hence the name 'naked-head'. 'Gvozdar' is a Russian word for 'nailer', and the species was named after Soviet ichthyologist A.N. Svetovidov.[2][1]

Description

This species is colored almost uniformly brown, with the ventral areas lighter than the head, body, mouth and gill cavity, which are dark brown in color. The dorsal, anal and pelvic fins are pale, with the membranes being transparent. The caudal and first dorsal fins are blackish distally.[1]

Ecology

This species is a large, pelagic piscivore (fish-eating species, indicated by remains of the pelagic Antarctic silverfish (Pleuragramma antarcticum) found in stomachs).[1]

Commercial imporatance

This species is of no importance to commercial fisheries. [1][2]

References

1. Gon, Ofer; Heemstra, Phillip C. (1990). Fishes of the Southern Ocean. Grahamstown, South Africa: J.L.B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology. pp. 293–294.
2. "Gvozdarus svetovidovi, Naked-head toothfish". www.fishbase.se. Retrieved 2020-12-24.