| Family: |
Himantolophidae (Footballfishes) |
| Max. size: |
4 cm SL (male/unsexed); 60 cm SL (female) |
| Environment: |
bathypelagic; marine; depth range - 1830 m |
| Distribution: |
Tropical and temperate parts of all oceans. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 1-1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 5-6; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 4-4. Illicium short, its base in advance of eye; rays of pectoral and unpaired fins sparsely pigmented, except their bases black; two pairs of swellings in the distal end of esca, almost equal in size and shape (Ref. 13608).
Description: Distinguishing characteristics of metamorphosed female: length of anterior escal appendage 2.7-16% SL in specimens less than 10 cm, 16-42% SL in larger specimens; distal escal appendages 0.9-2.1% SL in specimens less than 20 cm, 1.0-4.2% SL in larger specimens; blunt distal escal lobes; posterior escal appendages undivided proximally, simple or divided distally into 2-6 branches, total length 4.6-20% in SL in specimens less than 10 cm, 15-34% SL in larger specimens; 2-13 posterolateral appendages on and closely below base of escal bulb, usually all arranged in pairs, simple or divided into 2-9 branches, distal and longest pair 14-41% SL in specimens less than 10 cm, 23-51% SL in larger specimens (Ref. 86949). |
| Biology: |
Dwarf males of 4 cm length apparently do not become parasitically attached to females. |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 09 May 2013 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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