Porogadus catena
No common name
NS
GNR
Collection Details
Specimens
Photos
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Ophidiiformes (Pearlfishes and others)
Ophidiidae (Cusk-Eels)
Porogadus
Porogadus catena
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
Relatively slender, elongate, compressed, and tapering to a pointed caudal fin, with a large head, enlarged head pores, small spines on preoperculum, and a large spine on dorsoposterior margin of operculum. Snout is acute and compressed. Mouth is slightly subterminal, slightly oblique, and large; upper jaw extends beyond posterior margin of orbit. Eye is large. Narrow band of villiform teeth occurs in jaws, vomer, and palatine. First gill arch has 3 rudiments on epibranch, 1 gill raker in corner, and 15 gill rakers on lower limb. Preoperculum has four spines on posterior margin. Opercular spine is weak and flattened. Head length is 46.2% to 51.4%, head depth is 27.5% to 34.7%, snout length is 12.5% to 16.9%, orbit length is 6.8% to 12%, predorsal length is 42.5% to 56.8%, and body depth is 19.2% to 26.6% of gnathoproctal length. Pectoral fin is narrow based and has 15 to 17 rays. Dorsal fin originates over pectoral fin base. Pelvic fin is located below preoperculum and consists of 2 filamentous rays. Body and head are covered with small, subrectangular, cycloid scales. Lateral line consists of three rows of pores.
Color is blackish brown, with head and abdomen darker and fins colorless.
Distribution
Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
Habitat Associations
Tropical seas between 1,500 and 3,500 m
Biology
Uncommon species (Ref. 34024). Reproductive strategy possibly similar to other members of this family featuring oviparity, with oval pelagic eggs floating in a gelatinous mass (Ref. 205).
Max length: 22.0 cm SL.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2018-10-11. Resilience: High (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Phylogeny and Morphologically Similar Fishes
Distinguished from other species of the family by the combination of characters described.
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: of no interest.
References
Goode and Bean 1896
Grey 1956 (as P subarmatus)
Carter and Sulak 1984
Anderson et al. 1985
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., 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.
Schwarzhans, W.W. and P.R. Møller (2021) Revision of the ‘dragon-head’ cusk eels of the genus Porogadus (Teleostei: Ophidiidae), with description of eight new species and one new genus. Zootaxa 5029(1):001-096. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5029.1.1
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