long snouted lancetfish
Alepisaurus ferox
Open-sea lancetfish with large canine teeth in its mouth. It lives from the surface to over 1,000 m and is rarely seen in sport fishing.
Also called: peixe-lanceta-de-focinho-longo, lanzón picudo, longnose lancetfish, handsaw fish
- maximum
- 215 cm
- record/max.
- 9.0 kg
- depth
- 0–1,830 m
who is the long snouted lancetfish
Fish of the family Alepisauridae, up to 215 cm and 9 kg. It is pelagic and lives in the open sea, from near the surface to more than 1,000 m, sometimes close to the coast. Mainly nocturnal, it feeds on fish, cephalopods, tunicates and crustaceans. It reproduces by eggs, with planktonic larvae, and the species is a synchronous hermaphrodite. It is prey for tunas, sharks and sea lions. It is taken commercially, but its soft flesh makes it of little importance.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the long snouted lancetfish.
fun facts
- Gonads have clearly separated ovary and testis areas: it is a synchronous hermaphrodite.
identification
Elongated body with a circular cross-section, pale and iridescent, darker on the back. Large mouth with two erect canine teeth on the roof of the mouth. The dorsal fin is very tall, with the first rays very elongated. The fatty keel on the flank and all the fins are brown or black. None of the fins have spines.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
Occurs in the open sea on both sides of Latin America, from the Caribbean and Brazil to Chile and Peru, in both the Atlantic and the Pacific.
Habitat: Open sea, from the surface to over 1,000 m, sometimes close to the coast.
coast
when to fish
best time of day
Nighttime. It is mainly nocturnal.
rules for the long snouted lancetfish
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Conservation: Not on the Brazilian national list (Ministerial Ordinance GM/MMA No. 1.667/2026).
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
No danger to anglers, but it has strong canine teeth, so hold it carefully when removing the hook.
in the kitchen
Sometimes eaten, but of little importance because of its soft flesh.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00389, b = 3.12; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Alepisaurus ferox (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Alepisaurus feroxNames by country and language.
- official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026: Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)The species is not on the list. Checked in the DOU of April 28, 2026.