Ophidion holbrookii
Bank 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)
Ophidion
Ophidion holbrookii (Bank Cusk-Eel)
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
Head profile nearly straight; pelvic fins under eye; snout moderately blunt with small anteriorly directed spine; mouth subterminal; villiform teeth in jaws, vomer, and palatine; outer jaw teeth slightly larger than inner; vomerine tooth patch triangular; operculum with flat spine at dorsoposterior margin; head 17.4-18.4% SL; snout 3.8-4.7% SL; eye diameter 3.4-3.9% SL; predorsal length 26.8-27.4% SL; preanal length 37.2-37.4% SL; body depth 14.5-15.6% SL; outer and inner pelvic fin rays 12.3-13.4% and 7.9-9.2% SL; pectoral fin moderately small and rounded; dorsal fin origin anterior to pectoral fin tip; dorsal fin rays 120-136; pelvic fin rays 2, slightly flattened; anal fin rays 98-111; caudal fin rays 9; body scales elongate, oblique; trunk vertebrae 16; caudal vertebrae 50-51
Brown; dorsal fin and occasionally anal fin black edged
Distribution
Western Atlantic from North Carolina to southern Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico; common in northeastern Gulf, uncommon in northwestern Gulf
Habitat Associations
Between shoreline and 75 m depth
Biology
Maximum known size 300 mm TL
A common species ranging from coastal bays to 75 m depth (Ref. 34024). Inhabit soft bottoms (Ref. 5217). Oviparous, with oval pelagic eggs floating in a gelatinous mass (Ref. 205). Flesh is appreciated (Ref. 5217).
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2013-01-29. Resilience: High (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Phylogeny and Morphologically Similar Fishes
Distinguished from other family members by combination of characters
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: minor commercial.
References
Nichols and Breder 1922
Hoese and Moore 1977
C. R. Robins et al. 1986
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.
Cervigón, F., R. Cipriani, W. Fischer, L. Garibaldi, M. Hendrickx, A.J. Lemus, R. Márquez, J.M. Poutiers, G. Robaina and B. Rodriguez (1992) Fichas FAO de identificación de especies para los fines de la pesca. Guía de campo de las especies comerciales marinas y de aquas salobres de la costa septentrional de Sur América. FAO, Rome. 513 p. Preparado con el financiamento de la Comisión de Comunidades Europeas y de NORAD.
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.
Comments On Ophidion holbrookii