Longspine Snipefish, Macroramphosus scolopax
Longspine Snipefish, Macroramphosus scolopax. Two photographs of the same fish that had been regurgitated by a Yellowtail in coastal waters off Newport Beach, California, September 2015. Length 7.1 cm (2.8 inches). Catch and photograph courtesy of Captain Jeffery Markland of the Thunderbird, Newport Beach, California. Identification courtesy of Chris Wheaton, Fullerton, California.
The Longspine Snipefish, Macroramphosus scolopax, is a member of the Snipefish or Macroramphosidae Family, and is known in Mexico as trompetero copete. This species is under current discussion within the scientific community as some believe that the Longspine Snipefish is actually an adult Slender Snipefish, Macroramphosus gracilis and not a stand-alone species. Historically it was known as Macrohamphosidae scolopax. The Macroramphosidae Family contains twelve members placed in five genera. Globally, there are two species in the genus Macroramphosus, both of which are found in all Mexican waters of the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans.
The Longspine Snipefish has a moderately elongated body with an elongated head and an extremely long, slender, and tube-like snout. They are reddish-pink dorsally and silver ventrally. They have large eyes and a very small mouth located at the tip of their snout. Their anal fin has 18 to 20 rays; their caudal fin is forked; their first dorsal fin has 6 to 8 spines and is found mid-body with the second spine being enlarged and serrated; their second dorsal fin has 11 to 13 rays and is small; and, their pelvic fins are small and found well behind mid-body and the pectoral fins. They are devoid of scales.
The Longspine Snipefish is a pelagic species found in large schools over sandy and muddy bottoms from mid-water to seabeds at depths up to 600 m (2,000 feet). They reach a maximum 20.0 cm (7.9 inches) in length. Juveniles feed on pelagic invertebrates and adults feed on benthic invertebrates. Reproduction is oviparous with dimorphic individuals changing colors during the mating process. Their planktonic eggs and larvae are pelagic. The Longspine Snipefish is poorly studied with very limited information available about their lifestyle and behavioral patterns including specific details on age, growth, longevity, movement patterns, diet, habitat use, and reproduction.
The Longspine Snipefish can be confused with the Slender Snipefish, Macroramphosus gracilis (narrower body with dark blue tinges found at water depths above 400 feet) but they actually might be one and the same species.
The range of the Longspine Snipefish is not well documented and subject to controversy. For example, the American Fishery Society lists it as an Atlantic Ocean only species in North American waters while other authorities believe it to be a resident of North American waters of the Pacific Ocean as well. The catch below, if the identification is correct, documents the presence of this species in North American waters of the Pacific Ocean. They are normally found far out at sea but will visit coastal waters on occasion.
From a conservation perspective the Longspine Snipefish is currently considered to be of Least Concern with stable, widely distributed populations. They are seldom seen by humans and of limited interest to most. They are caught as a by-catch of bottom trawlers at a level of 35,000 tons annually and utilized to make fishmeal and fish oil.