Common Name
Eriksson's Blindfish
Year Described
Nybelin, 1957
Identification
Dorsal Fin: 79-92
Anal Fin: 51-57
Pectoral Fin: 23-27
Pelvic Fin: 1
Caudal Fin: 8
Gill Rakers: 23-27
Vertebrae: 75-79 (37-42 precaudal)
Elongate, relatively slender, and translucent, with loose gelatinous skin. Head large and broader than the body. Caudal region short (<40% of SL). Eyes apparent but deeply buried in skin. Mouth oblique. Dentary, jaw, and vomer with teeth but no fangs. Pseudobranchs not developed. Dorsal and anal fins continuous with caudal fin. Origin of anal fin under dorsal fin 29-40.
Color
Body translucent, pale brown. Dark pigment only apparent around the eye and on the peritoneum, which is speckled dorsally. Eye region black.
Size
Specimens range from 30-85mm SL.
Habitat
Pelagic or near the bottom at abyssal depths (4820-5440m). One aberrant from 2960m.
Range
Reported from the Caribbean Sea (Anderson et al., 1985) and east of Florida. Known from the central Atlantic between Africa and Brazil in the Atlantic Ocean.
References
Anderson, M.E.; R.E. Crabtree, H.J. Carter, K.J. Sulak and M.D. Richardson. 1985. Distribution of Demersal Fishes of the Caribbean Sea Found Below 2000 meters. Bulletin of Marine Science 37 (3): 794–807.
Nielsen, J.G. 1969. Systematics and biology of the Aphyonidae (Pisces, Ophidioidea). Galathea Report v. 10: 7-90, Pls. 1-4.
Nielsen, J.G. 2017. Revision of the genus Nybelinella (Teleostei, Bythitidae) with a new Atlantic, abyssal species. Zootaxa, 4247(1), 45-54.