Warty oreo
Encyclopedia
The warty oreo, Allocyttus verrucosus, is an oreo of the genus Neocyttus, found in all southern oceans at depths of between 300 and 1,600 m. Its length is up to 42 cm.
The warty oreo resembles the spiky oreo
. However, there are differences: the body, which has a shape much like a diamond, has a lower corner not as pointed, a dorsal
which is not as tall as that of the spiky oreo, and there are spines along the warty oreo's anal fin. In addition, there are two rows of scale
s, which are relatively large and warty, bedecking the sides of the warty oreo between the fish's pelvic fin and its anal fin. The warty oreo has a dark gray colour and is black-finned.
Warty oreos live in the waters of continental slopes, and they form in large schools
over rough terrain. Young warty oreos are pelagic and reside in shallow waters of the oceans - less than a kilometer in depth. They eat other fish
, as well as cephalopod
s and shrimp
. The eggs and larvae of warty oreos live on or near the surface of the sea.
They are very long living creatures, the oldest living to be 140 years old.
The warty oreo resembles the spiky oreo
Spiky oreo
The spiky oreo, Neocyttus rhomboidalis, is an oreo of the genus Neocyttus, found in all southern oceans at depths of between 200 and 1,300 m. Its length is up to 40 cm.-References:...
. However, there are differences: the body, which has a shape much like a diamond, has a lower corner not as pointed, a dorsal
Dorsal fin
A dorsal fin is a fin located on the backs of various unrelated marine and freshwater vertebrates, including most fishes, marine mammals , and the ichthyosaurs...
which is not as tall as that of the spiky oreo, and there are spines along the warty oreo's anal fin. In addition, there are two rows of scale
Scale (zoology)
In most biological nomenclature, a scale is a small rigid plate that grows out of an animal's skin to provide protection. In lepidopteran species, scales are plates on the surface of the insect wing, and provide coloration...
s, which are relatively large and warty, bedecking the sides of the warty oreo between the fish's pelvic fin and its anal fin. The warty oreo has a dark gray colour and is black-finned.
Warty oreos live in the waters of continental slopes, and they form in large schools
Swarm
Swarm behaviour, or swarming, is a collective behaviour exhibited by animals of similar size which aggregate together, perhaps milling about the same spot or perhaps moving en masse or migrating in some direction. As a term, swarming is applied particularly to insects, but can also be applied to...
over rough terrain. Young warty oreos are pelagic and reside in shallow waters of the oceans - less than a kilometer in depth. They eat other fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
, as well as cephalopod
Cephalopod
A cephalopod is any member of the molluscan class Cephalopoda . These exclusively marine animals are characterized by bilateral body symmetry, a prominent head, and a set of arms or tentacles modified from the primitive molluscan foot...
s and shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp are swimming, decapod crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh and salt water. Adult shrimp are filter feeding benthic animals living close to the bottom. They can live in schools and can swim rapidly backwards. Shrimp are an important...
. The eggs and larvae of warty oreos live on or near the surface of the sea.
They are very long living creatures, the oldest living to be 140 years old.