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Ophidiiformes (Cusk eels) >
Ophidiidae (Cusk-eels) > Brotulotaeniinae
Etymology: Brotulotaenia: Latin, brotula, -ae = little, bud, shoot + Latin, taenia = stripe (Ref. 45335).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathypelagic; depth range 249 - 1100 m (Ref. 58018). Deep-water
Eastern Atlantic: Morocco, and rare from off Western Europe and off South Africa. Western Atlantic: around the West Indies. Also known from the Indian Ocean (Ref. 34024).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 86.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 34024)
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 119 - 134; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 98 - 108. Scales small, non-imbricate prickles; opercle with no spine; median basibranchial tooth patch absent; gill rakers are tooth-bearing tubercles; otolith very small and rounded; precaudal vertebrae 12-15 (Ref. 34024).
Body shape (shape guide): elongated.
Uncommon species (Ref. 34024). Mesopelagic species (Ref. 75154). Oviparous, with oval pelagic eggs floating in a gelatinous mass (Ref. 205). Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 57178.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
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. (Ref. 34024)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
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