Distribution and conservation
Malacosteus niger BMNH 2003.1.13.55. This specimen was collected off the Azores from between 800-900m depth.
Malacosteus niger is found throughout the world's oceans, primarily between 65 degrees north and 30 degrees south. In the southern ocean it is replaced by its closest relative, Malacosteus australis (Kenaley 2007).
It spends most of its life below 500m, sometimes reaching depths of around 1000m or more.
M. niger has no commercial importance and is not currently regarded as endangered.
These fish are relatively common in deep oceanic trawls and we have nearly 100 specimens in the Fish Collection at the Natural History Museum.
