Common Name
Stout Cusk-eel
Year Described
Parr, 1933
Identification
Dorsal Fin: 96-101
Anal Fin: 70-73
Pectoral Fin: 25-27
Caudal Fin: 10
Pelvic Fin: 2
Gill Rakers: 4-5 well developed
Pseudobranchial Filaments: 5-6
Vertebrae: 12-13 (pre-caudal), 52-54 (total)
A moderately robust, deep body and stout head. Head length is approximately 22.7–26.5% SL. Body depth at the vent ranges from 21–23% SL. Snout short and rounded, with moderately small eyes (4.4–5.0% SL), and a long upper jaw extending beyond the eye. Preopercular margin bears three spines (two prominent ones at the angle and one smaller spine above) without a fleshy flap between them. Dentition includes minute, granular teeth arranged in broad bands on the jaws and narrow bands on the vomer and palatines. The dorsal-fin origin is positioned anteriorly, with 2–4 dorsal-fin rays situated in front of the first vertebra. Body is fully scaled, with 72-78 transversal scale rows above the anal-fin origin and 20–21 scale rows above the lateral line. Pyloric caeca number 18-21.
Color
Body pale to medium brown or gray-brown with no markings. Lateral line and fin margins often dark.
Size
Largest known specimen to 35.5cm SL.
Habitat
Bathydemersal from 439-576m.
Range
Known from off the Bahamas, E. Florida and Curacao but likely widespread in the Caribbean Sea.
References
Schwarzhans, W. W., P. N. Psomadakis & J. G. Nielsen. 2025. Revision of the bathydemersal fish genus Pycnocraspedum (Ophidiidae; Teleostei), with description of two new species. Zootaxa, 5636(3), 443-472.
Other Notes
This is the only known member of it’s genus in the Atlantic Ocean.