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Oneirodidae (Dreamers)
Etymology: Oneirodes: Greek, 'oneiros' = a dream or dreamlike or out of a dream (suggesting this fish is so strange and marvelous that can exist only in dreams) (Ref. 86949).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathypelagic; depth range 0 - 1800 m (Ref. 58018). Deep-water
North Atlantic: two records known, off Iceland and off Madeira.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 13.7 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 86949)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal soft rays (total): 5 - 6; Anal soft rays: 4. Characterized by having relatively short head; short illicium; short and broad subopercular bone, without indentation on posterodorsal margin; length of ventral fork of opercle 23.1-27.9% SL; ratio of lengths of dorsal and ventral forks of opercle 0.42-0.52; absence of epibranchial teeth; presence of teeth on pharyngobranchial II; teeth in upper jaw 31-33, lower jaw teeth 38-40; vomer with 4-6 teeth; dorsal fin rays 5-6; anal fin rays 4; pectoral fin rays 18; head length 33.1-39.5% SL; head depth 40.0-51.2% SL; premaxilla length 27.3-32.6% SL; lower jaw length 38.0-50.0% SL; illicial length 16.1-22.1% SL (Ref. 86949).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Bertelsen, E., 1990. Oneirodidae. p. 498-507. 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. 1. (Ref. 10524)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
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