Table 26. Continued
Etmopterus hillianus
Deep sea shark
MS
670
3
Ophioform fish
MS
670
3
Squalus sp.
shark
SS
703
3
Chimaerid fish
SS
727
3
Neoscopelid fish
SS
727
3
Bullisichthys caribbaeus
LW
100 - 300
6
Gonioplectrus hispanus
RW
120 - 300
14
Scorpaenidae
Scorpion fishes
RRS
200 - 300
13
Serranus notospilus
RRS
200 - 300
13
Sea robins
RRS
200 - 300
13
Batfish
RRS
200 - 300
13
Epinnula orientalis
SSM
200 - 600
8
Epinephelus mystacinus
Misty grouper
SR
248 - 330
4
Bembrops sp.
270 - 400
13
Parasudis sp.
270 - 400
13
benthic species, observed from at least five sites included the Beard fish, Polymixia
nobilis (Lampriformes), and benthic myctophids (Lanternfishes), including
Chlorophtalmus sp. Demersal snappers (Queen, Silk, Vermilion, Wenchman) and the
Mysty grouper form part of the deep slope demersal fish assemblage reported by Nelson
and Appeldoorn (1985). Yellowfin, yellow-edge, and snowy groupers had been
previously reported from the deep slope habitat (see Table 26).
Benthopelagic species, such as Antigona capros, unidentified argentinoids,
Benthodesmus sp. (Thichuridae), Sternoptychids (Stomiiformes) and Peristerids were
observed from at least three sites. A total of 30 fish taxa were observed from only one
site each at deep insular slope habitats surveyed, including the large predatory sharks,
Etmospterus hillianus, Centrophorus sp., Hexanchus griseus and Squalus sp.
Mid-slope habitats surveyed by the Johnson Sea-Link submersible at depths between
120 - 300 m presented a taxonomic assemblage of 93 fish species (Table 27). From this
total, 40 species were also reported from deep slope habitats (deeper than 300 m) and
61 species were observed to reach the upper slope and shelf-edge at depths of less
than 120 m. Hard ground, rocky habitats, including rock rubble (RR), rock-rubble sand
(RRS), rock walls (RW), wall (W) and lower wall (LW) were typical of the mid shelf. A
diverse assemblage of demersal and pelagic fishes associated with reef habitats was
92