Identification
The body is black or brown with a silvery sheen along the belly. A very long dorsal fin carries roughly 78–87 rays. The pelvic fins are reduced to a small, scale-like spine and one or two tiny rays, rather than forming conspicuous paddles.
Sources: Lepidopus fitchi species summary
Depth and food
Most cited records are from 100–250 m, with a wider reported range to 500 m. During colder periods it may appear near the surface at night, and occasional mass strandings have been recorded. It feeds on cephalopods, krill-like crustaceans and small fishes, including northern anchovy and young Pacific hake.
Sources: Lepidopus fitchi species summary