Depth
Argentina · Bony Fish

Argentine

Argentina sphyraena

50-400m
Depth Range
25cm
Max Size
Mediterranean
Distribution
50-400m
Depth Range
25cm
Max Size
Deep water
Habitat
Planktivore
Diet
Schooling
Social
LC
IUCN Status
Rare
Sighting Likelihood
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Actinopterygii
Genus Argentina
Species sphyraena

Bony Fish

Identification & Biology

  • IdentificationSmall, slender fish with a rounded body cross-section. Large, prominent eyes. Silver body with a distinctive greenish or golden iridescent band along each flank.
  • SizeUp to 25 cm total length, commonly 12 to 18 cm.
  • Social HabitSchooling species that forms dense aggregations in midwater over the continental shelf and slope.
  • HabitatMidwater pelagic over sandy and muddy bottoms of the continental shelf and upper slope.
  • Depth50 to 700 m, most common between 100 and 400 m.
  • Feeds OnZooplankton including small crustaceans, arrow worms, and fish larvae.
  • DistributionEastern Atlantic from Iceland to Morocco, including the Mediterranean Sea.
  • DescriptionA small, shimmering fish with oversized eyes adapted to the dim light of its deepwater habitat. Argentines form large schools that attract predators such as hake and larger pelagic fish. They are occasionally caught in trawls but are too small and deep to be encountered by recreational divers.

Range

Habitat & Distribution

A deep-water species found over muddy and sandy continental shelf and slope habitats across the Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic. Typically encountered between 50m and 400m depth.

Where Malta divers have spotted this species

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Sightings are logged by divers using our What Did You See? dive-log tool. View the full live sightings map.

Detail

Preferred Environment

Prefers deep, soft-bottomed habitats over the outer continental shelf and upper slope. Rarely seen by recreational divers due to its depth preference.

Encounter Tips

Best approached slowly and calmly. Avoid casting shadows directly over the animal. Neutral buoyancy and patience increase encounter success significantly.

Argentine species card

Biology

Behaviour & Diet

Feeding Strategy

Feeds on small planktonic crustaceans, copepods, and other zooplankton in the water column above the seabed.

Planktivore

Reproduction

Spawns in deep water during winter and spring. Eggs are pelagic and develop in the water column.

Deep spawner

Behaviour & Defence

Schooling behaviour provides safety in numbers. Large eyes are adapted for detecting predators in the low-light deep-water environment.

Deep-water schooling

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Where to Encounter in Malta

Dive sites where Argentina sphyraena may be encountered will be added as sighting data is collected.

IUCN Red List Least Concern

Conservation Status

This species is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Mediterranean populations face ongoing pressure from fishing activity, habitat degradation, and climate-driven changes.

Source: IUCN Red List
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