Fish of the Notacanthus (spiny eels) genus of the Notacanthidae (deep-sea spiny eels) family of the Notacanthiformes order of the Elopomorpha superorder.
(Shortfin spiny eel. Photo by © Alexei Orlov. fishbase.org)
Shortfin spiny eel (Notacanthus bonaparte) was first described in 1840 by the French naturalist Antoine Risso (1777-1845).
It inhabits the depths from 480 to 2000 meters down. It prefers to swim at the bottom. The maximum recorded length is 26 cm. It feeds on small invertebrates.
(Shortfin spiny eel. Photo by © Enrico Ricchitelli. naturamediterraneo.com)
It is an exceedingly rare inhabitant of the Adriatic. It was registered a couple times in its southern part on the border with the Ionian Sea.
Names of shortfin spiny eel (Notacanthus bonaparte) in other languages are as follows:
Anguilade Bonaparte (Spain), Notacanto (Italian), Bonaparts Dornaal (German), Šiljorepan (Croatian, Serbian).