Common Name
Subantarctic Cusk-eel
Year Described
Dollo, 1906
Identification
Dorsal Fin: 104-123
Anal Fin: 79-97
Pectoral Fin: 17-19
Caudal Fin: 8
Pelvic Fin: 2
Gill Rakers: 5+1+15 (8-10 developed) (lower limb of first arch)
Vertebrae: 20 precaudal, 48-52 caudal, 68-72 total
Body robust and elongate with a rounded snout. Snout relatively short. Eye diameter much shorter than snout. Opercular spine strong. Teeth villiform on jaws and palatine. Four basibranchial tooth patches: two median and a paired set between them. Paired set similar in size to posterior median patch and slightly overlaps. Dorsal origin over pectoral base. Anal fin origin well behind dorsal origin. Caudal fin elongate. Pectoral fins with rays free along almost half of length (3 last rays totally free). Pelvic fins with 2 rays flattened distally and somewhat thicker in males. Cycloid scales cover entire head, body, and fins. Lateral line not distinct. Sagittal otolith subcircular and small.
Color
Body pallid or light brown. Head blue-gray. Fins the same color as body.
Size
Maximum size of known specimens is 353mm SL.
Habitat
Appears to be abyssal on soft bottoms. The specimen from the Scotia Arc was collected from 2705-2721m. Elsewhere up to 4575m.
Range
Circum-Antarctic. In our area known from one specimen off S. Georgia Is.
References
Anderson, M. E., & D. L. Stein. 2006. Redescription of the rare ophidioid fish, Holcomycteronus brucei, from two new specimens from the Southern Ocean. Polar Biology, 29, 640-642.
Nielsen, J.G., D. M. Cohen, D. F. Markle & C. R. Robins. 1999. Ophidiiform fishes of the world (Order Ophidiiformes). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of pearlfishes, cusk-eels, brotulas and other ophidiiform fishes known to date. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(18):178p.
Nielsen, J. G., N. D. King, & P. R. Moller. 2008. Rare abyssal, ophidiid fishes from off the Crozet Islands, Southern Ocean, with a new species of Apagesoma Carter, 1983. Cybium, 32(1), 43-50.
Other Notes
This species is very close to Holcomycteronus squamosus but differs in the size of the pair basibranchial tooth plates and also seems to be separated in range (sub-Antarctic vs tropical region).