Family Trichiuridae

Cutlassfishes

Cutlassfish

Selected Characters: Body elongate, compressed; teeth long; dorsal fin long, with spines and soft-rays; caudal fin small.

Cutlassfishes are found in warm seas, usually in deep water. They are voracious predators. There are 32 species in this family but only one has been recorded from Puget Sound. The Frostfish can reach a maximum length of about 120 cm and is very rare in our area.

Puget Sound Species

Benthodesmus elongatus Frostfish