TRICHIURIDAE Trichiurus lepturus, 78.5 cm (photo by Seishi Kimura) Trichiurus lepturus Linnaeus, 1758 Largehead Hairtail D III, 124-138; A II, 105-108; P1 10-12. Body extremely elongate and strongly compressed, ribbon-like, tapering to a point. Fangs in both jaws with barbs. Mouth large; eye large; 2 or 3 pairs of enlarged fangs with barbs nearer tip of upper jaw; dorsal fin rather high and long, without a notch between the spinous and soft parts; pectoral fins medium-sized; pelvic and caudal fins absent. Scales absent on body. Color: fresh specimens steel blue with silvery reflection, pectoral fins semi-transparent, other fins sometimes tinged with pale yellow hyaline in fresh, especially strong yellow just after death. Size: maximum total length 1.8 m. Distribution: Considered as a cosmopolitan species of tropical and temperate waters but a different opinion recently reported: the Indo-West Pacific species is genetically distinct from a true Atlantic T. lepturus. Remarks: basically offshore waters, and occurs in somewhat deeper coastal area, but often collected even in mangrove or estuary basin and to a depth of ca. 150 m depth.