Scuba Season
Least Concern· population trend unknown· assessed 2015

Forkbeard

Phycis phycis

Sighting evidence at Cape Kolumbo, Santorini

Forkbeard

Photo: Alexandra Laking · 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

0 records within 25 km

Confidence: low

No date on file
How is this calculated?

Sighting evidence is compiled from iNaturalist observation records within a set proximity radius, filtered for quality-grade observations. “Last confirmed” is the date of the most recent research-grade record. Record count covers a rolling 24-month window. Confidence reflects record count, recency, and consistency of seasonal signal.

Also seen at other sites