| Family: |
Dinematichthyidae (Viviparous brotula) |
| Max. size: |
6.3 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
reef-associated; marine; depth range 0 - 5 m |
| Distribution: |
Eastern Indian Ocean: Western Australia (Ref. 88966). Western Pacific: along oceanic islands, from Micronesia (Palau, Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kapingamarangi Atoll), Hermit I., and the Kiriwina (Trobriand) Is., New Guinea, Vanuatu, Fiji to Tonga. Probable records from Taiwan (NW Pacific). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal soft rays (total): 72-81; Anal soft rays: 57-64; Vertebrae: 41-43. This species is distinguished by the following characters: ; D 72-81; A 57-64; small eyes (1.3-2.5%SL); blunt snout, no cirri; cheeks with scales and 3-10 scales above opercular spine; with upper preopercular pore; outer pseudoclasper broad-based, simple flap like, while the inner one with free, forward-pointing anterior lobe and broad posterior lobe; otolith length to height 1.9-2.0, with rounded dorsal rim; otolith length to sulcus length 1.7-1.8, very short caudal, ostium length to cauda length 4.5-5.0 (Ref. 81230). |
| Biology: |
Cryptic, solitary inhabitant of shallow water, usually in rocky crevices (Ref. 90102). A 5.6 cm SL gravid female (USNM 394976) with 95 embryos, 0.41 cm TL in length, and approximately 50 orange eggs, 0.06 cm in diameter (Ref. 81230). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 16 August 2019 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.
