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Bassozetus compressus (Günther, 1878) Abyssal assfish |
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photo by
Shao, K.T. |
| Family: | Ophidiidae (Cusk-eels), subfamily: Neobythitinae | |||
| Max. size: | 62 cm SL (male/unsexed) | |||
| Environment: | bathydemersal; marine; depth range 1134 - 5456 m | |||
| Distribution: | Western Central Pacific: Papua New Guinea (Ref. 6993) and Philippines. Atlantic Ocean. | |||
| Diagnosis: | Snout inflated; eyes much smaller than snout; opercular spine weak or absent; preopercle without spines and posteriorly expanded almost reaching posterior margin of opercle; pseudobranchial filaments 2 (Ref. 34024). | |||
| Biology: | Found on the continental slope (Ref. 75154) to bathyal and abyssal depths (Ref. 56809). Uncommon species (Ref. 34024). Oviparous, with oval pelagic eggs floating in a gelatinous mass (Ref. 205). Specimens collected were 18 females, 5 of which (23.2-50.0 cm SL) are more or less ripe with eggs measuring up to 0.5 mm in diameter (Ref. 84269). | |||
| IUCN Red List Status: | Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 08 July 2014 Ref. (130435) | |||
| Threat to humans: | harmless | |||