Order Ophidiiformes Family Aphyonidae(Blind cusk eels) Gelatinous blindfish Aphyonus gelatinosus(Günther, 1878). Max length/25cm TL. Korean name/Gelatinous blindfish Chinese name/膠胎鳚(교태위) D/spines 0, soft ray 68-116. A/spines 0, soft ray 53-65. P1/13-19. P2/1. Caudal fin/soft ray 7-8. Vertebrae/55-84. Anterior gill rakers/3-4.
Distribution; Eastern Atlantic/one specimen from Azores and from south of Canary Islands. Southwest Pacific/Known in Australia only from the type locality, off Cape York, Queensland. Western Indian Ocean/off Natal, South Africa. General; Marine. bathydemersal, depth range 900~5,000m. Found on or near bottom. Few specimens from tropical and subtropical parts of all oceans. Uncommon species. Viviparous. Body short, depth at anus more than 10% standard length. Eyes small or not externally visible. Palatines edentate. Pectoral fin with short peduncle. None interest to fisheries.
※ This species had been belonged to the family Bythitidae and was then transferred to the family Aphyonidae(Nelson Fish Taxonomy 2006 4th edition). However, Fishbase.org has not yet adopted Nelson's revised classification(as of June 2022).
|