Dicrolene introniger Goode & Bean, 1883
Digitate cusk eel
photo by JAMARC

Family:  Ophidiidae (Cusk-eels), subfamily: Neobythitinae
Max. size:  35 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  bathydemersal; marine; depth range 700 - 1785 m
Distribution:  Eastern Atlantic: continental slope all along West Africa. Western Atlantic: warmer parts of the area including the Gulf of Mexico.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 100-115; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 85-98. Snout rather blunt; eye diameter almost as long as snout; opercular spine strong and straight; hind margin of preopercle usually with 3 sharp spines; 1 median (broad) and a pair of basibranchial tooth patches; pseudobranchial filaments 2 or 3; 7-15 developed rakers on anterior arch; lower 5-11 pectoral fin rays free and longer than upper ones; precaudal vertebrae 13-16 (Ref. 34024). No black fin rays; one supraorbital and 3 preopercular spines all strong (Ref. 34024).
Biology:  Common species (Ref. 34024). Oviparous, with oval pelagic eggs floating in a gelatinous mass (Ref. 205).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 08 July 2014 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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