Penopus microphthalmus
No common name
NS
GNR
Collection Details
Specimens
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Ophidiiformes (Pearlfishes and others)
Ophidiidae (Cusk-Eels)
Penopus
Penopus microphthalmus
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. Penopus microphthalmus differs from P. japonicus by the following characters: has a higher number of dorsal, 135-158 (vs. 117) and anal, 106-122 (vs. 89) fin rays; lower number of preopercular spines, 4-7 (vs. 9); indistinct spine behind the posterior nostril (vs. distinct, 1% SL); by the bigger horizontal diameter of the eye 1.1-1.6% SL (vs. 0.8); and in having an almost fully scaled head (vs. squamation of the head restricted to the middle part of the preopercle) (Ref. 87601).
Distribution
Western Atlantic: from 38°29'030''N, 70°57'W (holotype of P. macdonaldi) southwards through the Gulf of Mexico to 22°45.7'S, 40°19.6'W. East Atlantic: from 34°28'N, 7°43'W southwards through the Gulf of Guinea to 36°06'S, 19°33'E.
Habitat Associations
Marine. bathydemersal. depth range 960-3535 m.
Biology
Rare species (Ref. 34024). Oviparous, with oval pelagic eggs floating in a gelatinous mass (Ref. 205).
Max length: 35.0 cm TL.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2014-07-09. Resilience: Medium (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
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.
Nielsen, J.G. and D.M. Cohen (1986) Ophidiidae. p. 345-350. In M.M. Smith and P.C. Heemstra (eds.) Smiths' sea fishes. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
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.
Nielsen, J.G. and S. Ohashi (2011) A new species of Penopus (Teleostei: Ophidiidae) from the Ryukyu Trench, the West Pacific, with remarks on Penopus microphthalmus. Ichthyol. Res. 58(3):232-237. DOI: 10.1007/s10228-011-0216-4
Comments On Penopus microphthalmus