Chilara taylori
Spotted Cusk-Eel
NS
GNR
Collection Details
Specimens
Photos
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Ophidiiformes (Pearlfishes and others)
Ophidiidae (Cusk-Eels)
Chilara
Chilara taylori (Spotted Cusk-Eel)
Description
This species account was compiled from
FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2025. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version 04/2025.)
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Characters
Body shape: eel-like. Head naked; scales on body in basketweave pattern; precaudal vertebrae 18-19; swim bladder in males with posterior opening; body and head with numerous dark spots and blotches (Ref. 34024). Branchiostegal rays: 7 (Ref. 36413). Pelvic fin consists of one ray with two branches of unequal length (Ref. 36413).
Distribution
Eastern Pacific: Washington, USA to Baja California and Ecuador. Record from the Gulf of California is doubtful.
Habitat Associations
Brackish, marine. demersal. depth range 0-280 m.
Biology
Uncommon species found on sandy bottom from the shore to 280 m (Ref. 34024). Adults often burrow tail-first in sand, live in mucus-lined holes (Ref. 2850), mud, eelgrass and rock rubble (Ref. 36413). Mostly active at night and on overcast days (Ref. 2850). Important food for sea lions and cormorants (Ref. 2850). Oviparous, with planktonic larvae and extended pelagic juvenile (Ref. 36413). Oval, pelagic eggs float in a gelatinous mass (Ref. 205).
Max length: 40.4 cm TL; common length: 30.0 cm TL.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none. Oviparous (Ref. 36413).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2007-05-23. Resilience: Medium (K=0.3).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: of no interest.
References
Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen (1966) Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p.
Fitch, J.E. and R.J. Lavenberg (1968) Deep-water teleostean fishes of California. California Natural History Guides:25. University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, California. 115 p.
Lea, R.N. and P. Béarez (1999) Occurrence of Chilara taylori (Ophidiidae), an eastern north Pacific cusk-eel from Ecuadorian waters. Cybium 23(1):99-100.
Nielsen, J.G., D.M. Cohen, D.F. Markle and C.R. Robins (1999) Ophidiiform fishes of the world (Order Ophidiiformes). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of pearlfishes, cusk-eels, brotulas and other ophidiiform fishes known to date. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(18):178p. Rome: FAO.
Ambrose, D.A. (1996) Ophidiidae: cusk-eels. p. 513-531. In H.G. Moser (ed.) The early stages of fishes in the California Current region. California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations (CalCOFI) Atlas No. 33. 1505p.
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