Linophryne parini Bertelsen, 1980

Family:  Linophrynidae (Leftvents)
Max. size:  6.4 cm SL (female)
Environment:  bathypelagic; marine; depth range - 1220 m
Distribution:  Southeast Atlantic: known only from a single specimen taken east of Port Alfred, South Africa.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 3-3; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 3-3. Metamorphosed females distinguished by the following characteristics: globular escal bulb, with short, truncated, distal prolongation without appendages, and a pair of posterolateral appendages, each consisting of a tapering stem about equal in length to diameter of escal bulb, bearing distal cluster of short, highly branched filaments; barbel divided near base into a median and 2 lateral primary branches, each with about 7 secondary branches, each in turn with varying numbers of filamentous tertiary branches and bearing a single distal photophore; lateral primary branches 44% SL, forming symmetrical pair with secondary branches of decreasing length, spaced along their length; caudal peduncle with ventrolateral series of large subdermal melanophores (Ref. 86949).
Biology:  Known only from a single specimen taken from a depth between 1,200-1220 m. Males parasitic on females.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 11 October 2018 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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