| Bythitidae (Livebearing brotulas) |
| 15.5 cm SL (male/unsexed); 14.5 cm SL (female) |
|
bathypelagic; marine; depth range 1075 - 4280 m |
| Indo-West Pacific: off Madagascar, off South China Sea and off Vanuatu; including Australia. |
|
This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: 11-15 long gill rakers long on anterior gill arch; pectoral-fin rays 13-17, preanal length 49.5-60 % of SL, anterior anal fin ray is below dorsal fin ray nos. 14-19; dorsal fin orgin above vertebra nos. 18-22; precaudal vertebrae 26-30; absence of black pigmentation laterally in roof of mouth (Ref. 105129, 128809). |
| A rare species (Ref.34024). All six specimens collected were caught in bottom fishing gear. Presence of a penis and spermatozoans arranged in spermatophores (Nielsen 1974, Ref. 40903:182) indicate interior fertilization. The eggs were up to 0.7 mm in diameter, but embryos were not observed (Ref. 105129). |
|
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 16 August 2019 Ref. (130435)
|
| harmless |
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