Calamopteryx robinsorum

Common Name

Teacher Brotula

Year Described

Cohen, 1973

Identification

Dorsal Fin: 58-68
Anal Fin: 40-49
Pectoral Fin: 14-19
Caudal Fin: 8
Vertebrae:
Gill Rakers:

Body tadpole-shaped. Snout bluntly rounded. Head flattened over mouth. Eye large. Numerous skin flaps overhang lips. Anterior nostril tube shaped right above lip on snout. Rear nostril a pit. One supraorbital pore. No preopercular pores. Mouth large. Teeth in jaws and on vomer. Palatine teeth present. Spine present on opercle. A strong forward facing spine on lower preopercle. Pectoral fin peduncle elongated. Pelvic fin a single filamentous ray. Dorsal and anal fin continuous with tail. Entire body and most of head fully scaled. Head and body with sensory papillae.

Color

Body and head pale gray with dense dark melanophores (especially on fin bases and head). Fins pale yellow.

Size

Maximum size to 50mm SL.

Habitat

Associated with soft bottoms in relatively shallow water (40-210m).

Range

Scattered records in the Caribbean from the Bahamas, Cuba, Greater Antilles, Mexico, and Panama.

References

Cohen, D.M. 1973. Viviparous ophidioid fish genus Calamopteryx: New species from the western Atlantic and Galápagos. Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. Vol.86 pp. 339-350.

Schwarzhans, W., & J.G. Nielsen, J. 2011. Revision of the genus’ Microbrotula(Teleostei: Bythitidae), with description of two new species and a related new genus. Beagle: Records of the Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory, The, 27, 147-160.

Other Notes

Anal fin ray and caudal fin counts differentiate the two Atlantic Calamopteryx.