Conocara murrayi

Common Name

Murray's Smoothhead

Year Described

Koefoed, 1927

Identification

Dorsal Fin: 19-22
Anal Fin: 21-28
Pectoral Fin: 8-9
Pelvic Fin: 5-6
Gill Rakers: 3-5 (total on upper limb of first arch)

Body moderately elongate and deep-bodied, with a very large head. Eyes smaller than snout length. Moderately large curved teeth present on premaxilla, dentary, and palatine, but not on maxilla or vomer. Rear margin of jaw extends to anterior margin of orbit. A single supramaxilla above maxilla. Dorsal fin origin behind anal fin origin (anal fin slightly larger). Pectoral and pelvic fins fairly small. Scales absent on head. Body scales very small. A fleshy fold on dorsum and on the dorsal/ventral caudal peduncle.

Color

Uniformly dark brown.

Size

Maximum size to 34cm SL.

Habitat

Benthopelagic from 1,200-2,600m.

Range

One record for the N. Gulf of Mexico but likely more widespread. Known from off eastern Brazil. Multiple records in the eastern Atlantic.

References

Crabtree, R.E. & K.J Sulak. 1986. A contribution to the life history and distribution of Atlantic species of the deep-sea fish genus Conocara (Alepocephalidae). Deep Sea Research 33 (9): 1183-1201.

McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm. 1998. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. Volume 1: Myxiniformes to Gasterosteiformes. University of Texas Press, Austin. i-viii + 1-1112.

Whitehead, P.J.P. , M.-L. Bauchot, J.-C. Hureau, J.G. Nielsen and E. Tortonese. 1986. Fishes of the North-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Vol. I-III. UNESCO. Fishes of the North-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. http://species-identification.org.