Lepophidium crossotum Robins, Robins & Brown, 2012
Whitespot cusk-eel

Family:  Ophidiidae (Cusk-eels), subfamily: Ophidiinae
Max. size:  16.8 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthopelagic; marine; depth range 91 - 384 m
Distribution:  Western Atlantic: along the coast of the US from North Carolina (south of Cape Hatteras) to southern Florida and in the eastern Gulf of Mexico from western Florida to Yucatan.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal soft rays (total): 117-125; Anal soft rays: 99-106; Vertebrae: 68-69. This species is characterized by the following: fringed snout; differs from L. kallion and L. wileyi by fewer total vertebrae (67-69 vs. 71-75 and 70-75, respectively) and lateral line length in SL (87.8% vs. 88.8% and 91.5%, respectively); differs from L. kallion in the number of dorsal rays (117-125 vs. 129-137) and anal rays (99-106 vs. 108-114), average post orbital length in HL (48.6% vs. 56%), average orbit diameter in HL (30.9% vs. 25.4%), average body depth at occiput in SL (10.7% vs. 13.3%), at origin of dorsal fin (11.5% vs. 14.5%), at origin of anal fin (10.1% vs. 11.9%), average predorsal distance in SL (22.1% vs. 23.9%), average preanal distance in SL (35.6% vs. 39.6%); head and body color is pale brown and without pattern (Ref. 91765).
Biology: 
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 29 January 2013 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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