Teleostei (teleosts) >
Ophidiiformes (Cusk eels) >
Ophidiidae (Cusk-eels) > Ophidiinae
Etymology: Lepophidium: Latin, lepus, leporis = rabbit + Greek, ophis = serpent (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Robins.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal; depth range 46 - 186 m (Ref. 91765). Tropical; 18°N - 4°N, 88°W - 51°W (Ref. 91765)
Western Central Atlantic: Caribbean Sea, from Honduras to Trinidad and along the Atlantic Coast of northern South America, to at least as far as French Guiana.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 18.9 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 91765); common length : 14.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5217)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal soft rays (total): 106 - 115; Anal soft rays: 92 - 100; Vertebrae: 62 - 66. Rostral spine long and curved, reaching tip of snout, without vertical basal component; peritoneum pale; no median basibranchial tooth patch; head extensively covered with imbricate rows of cycloid scales except for snout and throat; body tapering to point, dagger-shaped (Ref. 34024).
Body shape (shape guide): elongated.
Uncommon species (Ref. 34024). Found on the continental shelf, on soft bottoms (Ref. 5217). Oviparous, with oval pelagic eggs floating in a gelatinous mass (Ref. 205). Consumed fresh (Ref. 5217).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Robins, C.R., R.H. Robins and M.E. Brown, 2012. A revision of Lepophidium (Teleoastei, Ophidiidae), with descriptions of eight new species. Bulletin of the Florida Museum of Natural History 52(1):1-94. (Ref. 91765)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: bycatch
Tools
Special reports
Download XML
Internet sources