Xyelacyba myersi
No common name
Collection Details
Specimens
Photos
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Ophidiiformes (Pearlfishes and others)
Ophidiidae (Cusk-Eels)
Xyelacyba
Xyelacyba myersi
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 deep bodied, short, and compressed, with stout preopercular and opercular spines, and pelvic fins located below eyes. Snout is blunt and rounded. Mouth is terminal, oblique, and large; upper jaw extends beyond posterior margin of orbit. Eye is small. Villiform teeth occur in jaws, vomer, and palatine. Jaws have edentulous space at symphysis. Head of vomer has three rows of teeth, and lateral extensions of vomer and palatine have single row of teeth. Three basibranchial tooth patches are present. First gill arch has 4 or 5 rudiments on epibranch, 1 gill raker in corner, and 15 to 17 gill rakers plus 4 rudiments on lower limb. Preoperculum has three spines, with dorsalmost spine largest. Operculum has large, posterodorsally directed spine at upper angle. Head length is 21.9% to 22.4%, snout length is 6.2% to 6.3%, eye diameter is 2.8% to 3.8%, preanal length is 31.9% to 44.8%, body depth is 26.3% to 29.1%, and pelvic fin length is 17.5% to 24.8% of SL. Pectoral fin is broad based and has 19 rays. Dorsal fin originates above pectoral fin base and has 87 rays. Pelvic fin consists of 2 filamentous rays. Anal fin has 71 rays, and caudal fin has 9 rays. Body and head are covered with deciduous scales. Lateral line is indistinct posterior to vent. Vertebrae number 49.
Scale pockets are dark brown, unpaired fins and belly are very dark, ventral surface of head is dark brown, and remainder of head is white.
Distribution
Northeastern Gulf of Mexico and the Bahamas
Habitat Associations
Between 1,555 and 2,012 m depth
Biology
Maximum known size is 464 mm SL
A benthopelagic species at bathyal depth (Ref. 56809). Found on the continental slope (Ref. 75154). Rare 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).
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: Medium (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
Cohen 1961
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. (1990) Ophidiidae. p. 564-573. In J.C. Quero, J.C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha (eds.) Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA). JNICT, Lisbon; SEI, Paris; and UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 2.
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.
Machida, Y. (1989) First record of the deep-sea fish Xyelacyba myersi (Ophidiidae, Ophidiiformes) from Japan. Jap. J. Ichthyol. 36(1):120-125.
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