Forkbeard
Phycis phycis
Sighting evidence at Cape Kolumbo, Santorini
Photo: Sylvain Le Bris · CC BY-NC
The forkbeard is a deep-water gadiform fish that descends to 700 m but is regularly encountered at vent sites in the 20 to 40 m range where thermal stratification concentrates prey. It is a sit-and-wait predator, hovering motionless over volcanic sediment and using its pelvic fins as tactile ground sensors to detect buried crustaceans.
Evidence at this site
No confirmed records on file at this site
Forkbeard is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.