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Lepophidium robustum Robins, Robins & Brown, 2012 Robust cusk-eel |
| Family: | Ophidiidae (Cusk-eels), subfamily: Ophidiinae | |||
| Max. size: | 23 cm SL (male/unsexed) | |||
| Environment: | benthopelagic; marine; depth range 101 - 261 m | |||
| Distribution: | Western Atlantic: Caribbean Sea (from western Panama to north of Trinidad). | |||
| Diagnosis: | Dorsal soft rays (total): 123-126; Anal soft rays: 102-107; Vertebrae: 68-71. This species is distinguished by the following characters: presence of rudimentary rakers alternating with developed rakers on the lower gill arch (also only for Lepophidium aporrhox); total number of gill raker elements greater than its congeners except L. aporrhox. This species is distinguished from L. apporhox by having 14 precaudal vertebrae (vs. 12-13); 54-56 caudal vertebrae (vs. 49-53); 68-70 total vertebrae (vs. 61-66); 123-126 dorsal rays (vs. 106-115), and 102-107 anal rays (vs. 92-100), and by having a long pelvic ray length as a percentage of standard length (9-10% vs. 13-18% (Ref. 91765). | |||
| Biology: | ||||
| IUCN Red List Status: | Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 29 January 2013 Ref. (130435) | |||
| Threat to humans: | harmless | |||