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Illustration of Günther's boafish
fishing forecast

günther's boafish

Stomias affinis · full profile

location

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period

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the species

everything about the günther's boafish

how to recognize it

Slender, elongated body with small photophores (light-emitting organs) spread over it. At the tip of the lower jaw there are small teeth on both sides. As in other deep-sea dragonfish, the body tends to be dark. Anglers recognize it by the photophores and the small teeth at the tip of the chin, not by spots or stripes.

Also called: peixe-dragão-escamoso, scaly dragonfish, Günther's boafish

We don't have tips on season, bait or technique for this species yet.

Where to look: Open, deep sea, from 0 to 3,182 m deep.

In Latin America it occurs in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Cuba, Mexico and the Caribbean, in the open sea.

coast

North CoastNortheast CoastSoutheast CoastSouth Coastoceanic

rules for the günther's boafish

Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.

We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.

Conservation: Not on the Brazilian national list (Ministerial Ordinance GM/MMA No. 1.667/2026).

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

estimated weight

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how we calculate

Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00132, b = 3.2; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.

more about the günther's boafish

Fish of the family Stomiidae, elongated and slender, reaching 21.9 cm. It lives in the open sea and at great depth, down to 3,182 m. It feeds mainly on myctophids, the lanternfish, and has small photophores, light-emitting organs, spread over its body. Some individuals may rise to the surface at night. It occurs in tropical and subtropical waters of several oceans; in the western Atlantic it ranges from the United States to Argentina, including Brazil. It appears in commercial fisheries but is almost never hooked on a rod.

Family: Stomiidae · predator

sources and references (3)

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.

  1. scientific FishBase: Stomias affinis (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
  2. scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Stomias affinisNames by country and language.
  3. 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.