Latin name

Agonomalus jordani

Other name

Agonomalus brashnikowi Pavlenko, Agonomalus jordani Jordan & Starks, Agonomalus jordani Schmidt, Agonomalus severus Gratzianov.

Identification

The body of Agonomalus jordani is tall, slender and compressed at the sides. The back is strongly elevated near the occiput. The head is small, compressed at the sides in the front part and broadened in the occipital part. Strongly developed supraorbital ridges supporting a broad and flat supraorbital spine projecting laterally. Interorbital space almost flat. The nasal spines are strongly developed and set slightly to the side. From the nasal spines there are keels, which merge into a single keel extending to the middle of the interorbital space. From the supraorbital ridges, the occipital ridges branch off, bounding the occipital cavity and ending at the back of the head with broad, flat, blunt occipital spines pointing slightly to the side. The preorbital bone is large and bears 3 spines along its margin. At the level of the posterior eye margin, the posterior suborbital bone bears a large spike with a sharp tip. At the top of the margin of the preocranium, there is a broad, flat spike in a horizontal plane, the edge of which is distinctly serrate. Jaws with numerous rows of small teeth, no teeth on coulter or palatine. At the end of the snout is an upward-pointing antenna, the length of which in young fish is approximately equal to the diameter of the orbit. The length of the antenna decreases with age and is barely visible in 167 mm specimens. The snout is relatively long, more than the diameter of the eye. The posterior end of the maxilla does not reach the vertical of the anterior margin of the eye. 

Features of fish fins

The first dorsal fin has 7-9 hard rays and the second has 6-8 soft rays. The anal fin has 13-14 soft rays. There are no free rays on the pectoral fins. The distance between the bases of the dorsal fins is less than the distance between each of their bases. The lower rays of the pectoral fins are connected by a ligament. There are no additional spiny plates between the first spines of the upper and lower dorsal rays. 

Fish colouring

Body and head coloration red with four pale cross bands of complex configuration. Fins are mottled. Side line black.

Distribution

A fish of temperate waters. Widespread in the northwestern Pacific Ocean from Japan to Sakhalin and the Sea of Japan. 

Habitat

Bottom dwelling fishes. They live at depths from 10 to 105 meters, mainly at positive temperatures, on sandy and stony-sandy substrates.

Size

The body length of fish of this species is up to 18 cm, but most commonly 11 cm. Females are larger than males.

Behavior

They occur as single individuals and do not form aggregations. They are poor swimmers and do not migrate.

Food and feeding habits

Feeds on amphipods, euphausiids and copepods.

Reproduction

The biology of these fish is poorly understood.

Fishing

Small in number. Occurs singly in trawl fisheries. Not commercially important.

Relationship with a person

Agonomalus jordani is harmless to humans, the conservation status of the species has not been determined. Due to the peculiarities of its appearance, it is used in the handicraft production of marine souvenirs.