| Family: |
Ceratiidae (Warty Seadevils) |
| Max. size: |
7.3 cm TL (male/unsexed); 44 cm TL (female) |
| Environment: |
bathypelagic; marine; depth range 0 - 3085 m |
| Distribution: |
Circumglobal: tropical and subtropical. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 1-1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 4-5; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 4-4; Vertebrae: 20-20. A large median and two small lateral oval caruncles immediately in front of origin of dorsal fin (Ref. 13608). Branchiostegal rays: 6 (Ref. 36494).
Description: Characterized by having 8 caudal fin rays and conspicuous spine on anterodorsal margin of the subopercle. Distinguishing characteristics of metamorphosed female: tiny illicium, reduced to a small remnant; dorsal midline of the trunk with 2 club-shaped caruncles just anterior to soft dorsal-fin origin. Metamorphosed males: longer anterior pair of lower denticular teeth compared to posterior pair; larvae, males and juvenile females have subdermal pigment on gill cover, dorsal surface of trunk and caudal peduncle (Ref. 86949). |
| Biology: |
Males dwarfed, becoming parasitic on females. Maximum size of free-living males is 1.05 cm (Ref. 4494). Females are oviparous, with planktonic larvae (Ref. 36494). Eggs are presumably contained in floating gelatinous rafts (Ref. 36494 ). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 09 May 2013 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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