Fun Pacific Blackdragon Facts For Kids
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The Pacific blackdragon is a small fish species that appears to be more of a sea dragon than a fish. They are related to black dragonfish, which can be found in the eastern Pacific. The Pacific blackdragon can be found in the Southern Hemisphere in the Pacific Ocean.
They primarily move to the surface at night and deep into the ocean depths in the early morning hours. These creatures are accustomed to living in the dark depths of the sea.
The females have a long white whisker-like stalk on their chin, whereas the males do not. The females have long, elongated bodies, while the males are almost larvae.
These blackdragons feed on a variety of small fishes, shrimp, and squid. The males only live as larvae and get the majority of their food from the yolk. The exact number of these species is unknown, and the IUCN has not assessed their conservation status.
If you enjoyed reading about this article, then do read some interesting facts about black dragonfish and tilefish.
Pacific Blackdragon Interesting Facts
What type of animal is a Pacific blackdragon?
The Pacific blackdragon is a small fish species that resembles a sea dragon rather than a fish. They actually hide from the light and frequently move in the open ocean according to the light. They are related to the black dragonfish which is found in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
What class of animal does a Pacific blackdragon belong to?
The Pacific blackdragon belongs to the class of Actinopterygii and the family Stomiidae. They are from the genus Idiacanthus and the order Stomiiformes. The Pacific blackdragon's scientific name is Idiacanthus antrostomus.
How many Pacific blackdragons are there in the world?
The exact number of the Pacific blackdragons is not estimated and is unknown to the world.
Where does a Pacific blackdragon live?
The Pacific blackdragon is found in the deep, shallow Pacific Ocean in the Southern Hemisphere.
What is a Pacific blackdragon's habitat?
The Pacific blackdragon, Idiacanthus antrostomus, is a deep-sea creature with black skin. From the surface of the ocean, the Pacific blackdragon can be found mostly in deepwater of 6,562 ft (2000 m).
They are tropical and temperate water fish. They mostly move to the surface at night and move deep down into the ocean depths in the early morning hours. These creatures are acquainted with living in the darkness of the sea.
Who do Pacific blackdragons live with?
There is not much information available in the context of their group or litter size, but these blackdragon species live on their own as adults, while the larvae live in a group of two to seven in the sea depths.
How long does a Pacific blackdragon live?
These fish are believed to live up to an age of two years maximum. This age might vary from six months to one year depending upon the environment in which they live. The males supposedly live only until the time they mate.
How do they reproduce?
The females are more dominant than the males. The females have long white or cream-colored whiskers on their chins which help them to lure the males towards them.
The males only remain in their larvae stage and get most of their food resources from the yolk.
The mating takes place sexually through reproductive organs, and as the male larvae grow, their two white stalks on their head molt and their eyes fit into their head. The female's bioluminescent stomach lining or skin is such that it is capable of stopping light from emitting from their stomach.
What is their conservation status?
There is no special status given to these fish species. The conservation status of these fish is Not Evaluated by the IUCN.
Pacific Blackdragon Facts
What does a Pacific blackdragon look like?
We've been unable to source an image of a Pacific blackdragon and have used an image of a viperfish instead. If you are able to provide us with a royalty-free image of a Pacific blackdragon, we would be happy to credit you. Please contact us at hello@kidadl.com.The ultra-black Pacific blackdragon, Idiacanthus antrostomus, is a species of fish. The females are larger and more dominant than the males. These species are sexually dimorphic.
The females are dark black bioluminescent fish which they often use to lure predators and males to mate. The females have a long white whisker-like stalk on their chin, whereas, this is not seen on the chin of the males. The females have a long elongated body and the males are almost in their larvae stage.
When the males grow, the two long stalks on their heads shrink and the eyes fit into their heads. The stomach lining of the females is so light-proof that they dissolve all the light within them.
The males do not have teeth. The males are brown in color. The females are longer in length than the males and have teeth to prey on different fishes.
How cute are they?
No, these dark brown-black Pacific blackdragons are not at all cute. Rather, you would be horrified if they were presented in front of you.
How do they communicate?
They usually make use of tactile cues in order to communicate with their species. They also make use of their bioluminescent light if they want to hunt their prey. They make use of chemical smells to identify their own species.
How big is a Pacific blackdragon?
The Pacific blackdragon fish is 2-23.6 in (5-60 cm) long.
How fast can a Pacific blackdragon swim?
The exact speed of these sea creatures has not been estimated and is unknown to the world, but as they make frequent movements from the surface to the depths of the ocean, they must swim fast with their long, slender body.
How much does a Pacific blackdragon weigh?
The Pacific blackdragon's weight is not known as of now.
What are the male and female names of the species?
The male and female species do not have any sex-specific names.
What would you call a baby Pacific blackdragon?
The babies of the Pacific blackdragon are called larvae.
What do they eat?
These blackdragons prey on different small fishes, shrimp, squids, worms, crabs, and barnacles. They eat anything that comes their way while swimming. They use their canine teeth to eat. The males do not have teeth, and thus, only survive for a short time.
Are they poisonous?
There are not many resources available in this context and no such specific cases have been reported of them being poisonous or causing harm to humans.
Would they make a good pet?
No, they would not be good pets because their habitat is such that they could not survive in captivity. It would be better to leave them in their natural surroundings.
Did you know...
The Pacific blackdragon's skin is supposed to have packed melanin structures known as melanosomes which can almost absorb 100% of light even from the sunlight and other animals.
There are three subspecies under the genus Idiacanthus – Pacific blackdragon fish, blackdragon fish, and ribbon sawtail fish.
Why is it called Pacific blackdragon?
These species are called the Pacific blackdragons because they are found in the Pacific Ocean and are an ultra black color, which has even surprised scientists. For this reason, they are even called black sea dragons.
When was the Pacific blackdragon discovered?
The Pacific blackdragon was discovered by American biologist Charles Henry Gilbert in 1890.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other fish from our codfish fun facts and milkfish interesting facts for kids.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable intricate fish coloring pages.
We've been unable to source an image of a Pacific blackdragon and have used an image of a viperfish instead. If you are able to provide us with a royalty-free image of a Pacific blackdragon, we would be happy to credit you. Please contact us at hello@kidadl.com.
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With a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from Christ University, Bangalore, Pradhanya's passion for the English language and literature led her to explore the field of content writing, where she has gained extensive experience in writing, reviewing, editing, and fact-checking. She has also earned certifications in Google Ads Search, Google Ads Display, and Social Media Marketing, showcasing her proficiency in digital marketing.
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