Gunterichthys longipenis
Gold Brotula
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GNR
Collection Details
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Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Ophidiiformes (Pearlfishes and others)
Bythitidae (Viviparous Brotulas)
Gunterichthys
Gunterichthys longipenis (Gold Brotula)
Description
This species account was compiled from
Composite (multiple sources) (McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. University of Texas Press, Austin.)
and processed using AI-assisted text extraction.
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Characters
Moderately elongate, compressed, and tapering slightly posteriorly, with a scaleless head and dorsal and anal fins separated from caudal fin. Snout is blunt and narrowly rounded. Anterior nostril is tubelike and located near upper lip. Pronounced fold overhangs thin, skirtlike lower lip. Eye is small but distinct, and covered with skin. Jaws have bands of villiform teeth, with those of inner row near symphysis of upper jaw enlarged, and those of inner row of lower jaw enlarged and depressible. Vomer has inverted-V-shaped patch of 11 pointed, depressible teeth, and palatine has two longitudinal series of small, conical teeth. Gill rakers on first arch number 14 to 22. Branchiostegal rays number 8. Head is 25% to 29%, predorsal length is 34% to 38%, preanal length is 54% to 57%, and body depth at anal fin origin is 16% to 18% of SL. Snout is 19% to 20% and eye diameter is 5% to 6% of head length. Pectoral fin is broad based with short peduncle, and has 18 to 22 rays. Dorsal fin originates slightly posterior to pectoral fin base and has 64 to 68 rays. Pelvic fin consists of single filamentous ray. Anal fin has 45 to 50 rays, and caudal fin has convex posterior margin and 13 or 14 rays. Lateral line is inconspicuous. Scales are lacking on head and present on body but are scarcely overlapping. Vertebrae number 39 to 43. Mature males have copulatory organs consisting of long, pointed, distally hardened intromittent organ and pair of broad, hardened claspers.
Color in life is pale gold, with distal part of body translucent, dorsal fin anteriorly freckled and posteriorly dark brown with pale margin, and anal fin dark posteriorly. Color in alcohol is pale beige, with dorsal and anal fins colorless or pale gray and pectoral and pelvic fins beige.
Distribution
Western Atlantic from the northern Gulf of Mexico from the Florida Keys to Texas
Texas
Habitat Associations
Lagoons and estuaries, soft mud bottoms
Burrows into soft mud bottoms
Biology
Maximum known size is 75 mm TL
Burrows in soft mud bottoms at shallow depths (0.7-6 m) of quiet lagoons, backwaters and saline parts of estuaries (Ref. 7251, 55786). Reported to give birth to very few, about 15 mm long juveniles in each clutch; one female found to have four 5-8 mm long embryos and has a 3.2 mm bivalve in the intestine (Ref. 55786). Probably common where it occurs (Ref. 34024).
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: internal (oviduct); bearers (internal live bearers).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2011-08-11. Resilience: Low (Assuming Fec < 100).
Phylogeny and Morphologically Similar Fishes
Distinguished from the other species of the family by the combination of characters described
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: of no interest.
References
Dawson 1966
Dawson 1971a
Moore 1975
Hoese and Moore 1977
C. R. Robins et al. 1986
Tolley and Peebles 1987
Boschung 1992
Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen (1966) Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p.
Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray (1986) A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p.
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.
Møller, P.R., W. Schwarzhans and J.G. Nielsen (2004) Review of the American Dinematichthyini (Teleostei, Bythitidae). Part I. Dinematichthys, Gunterichthys, Typhliasina and two new genera. aqua, J. Ichthyol. Aquat. Biol. 8(4):141-192.
Comments On Gunterichthys longipenis