Argentina sphyraena
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| Argentina sphyraena | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Argentiniformes |
| Family: | Argentinidae |
| Genus: | Argentina |
| Species: | A. sphyraena |
| Binomial name | |
| Argentina sphyraena Linnaeus, 1758 | |
[1]Argentina sphyraena, the lesser silver smelt or lesser argentine, is a species of fish belonging to the family Argentinidae.[1] Argentina sphyraena was first described in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus.[2] A pelagic fish found in the northeastern Atlantic, from Norway to Western Sahara, and in the Mediterranean Sea between 50 and 700 m depth.[3] The species generally grows up to 20 cm total length, but 35.5 cm total length is the maximum recorded size.[3] Argentina sphyraena feeds mostly on invertebrates, including polychaetes, molluscs, and crustaceans.[3] One of the most notable characteristics of the species is that it smells of cucumbers.[3]