Common Name
Whitespot Cusk-eel
Year Described
Robins, Robins & Brown, 2012
Identification
Dorsal Fin: 117-125 (usually 119-120)
Anal Fin: 99-106 (usually 101-105)
Pelvic Fin: 2
Pectoral Fin: 19-22 (usually 20-21)
Caudal Fin: 9
Gill Rakers: 9-11 (total developed and rudiments)
Pseudobranchial Filaments:
Vertebrae: 13-14 (precaudal), 53-56 (caudal), 67-69 (total)
Body elongate and tapering symmetrically rearward to a pointed tail. Body depth greatest at dorsal fin origin. Snout blunt. Nasal rim fringed. A rostral spine is present on the snout tip. Eyes moderate. Mouth fairly large, extending to about even with rear margin of orbit. Supramaxilla present, with ventral hooked process. Teeth present on dentary, premaxilla, vomer, palatines, and pharyngeals. Basibranchial teeth absent. Opercular spine strong. Dorsal and anal fins long and confluent with caudal fin. Pelvic fin jugular, rather short and filamentous. Pectoral fins fanlike. Body and part of head with small cycloid scales. Lower cheek, opercle, base of pectoral fin and isthmus naked. Lateral line simple and incomplete. Pyloric caeca usually 3 (2-4).
Color
Body and head brown grading to whitish on the belly. Dorsal and anal fins with black margins. A conspicuous white spot on the snout tip. Inside of mouth, gill bars, and esopagus blackish. Rearward on opercle and hindgut pale.
Size
Maximum size to 168mm SL.
Habitat
A relatively shallow water species found on soft bottoms from 91–384m.
Range
North Carolina to the Gulf of Mexico to the N. Yucatan Peninsula.
References
Robins, C. R., R.H. Robins & M.E. Brown. 2012. A revision of Lepophidium (Teleostei, Ophidiidae), with descriptions of eight new species. Bulletin of the Florida Museum of Natural History. University of Florida. 94 pages.
Other Notes
This, Lepophidium kallion, and L. wileyi are the only two Atlantic species known with fringing on the snout.