Monothrix polylepis Ogilby, 1897
Littoral cusk
Monothrix polylepis
photo by FAO

Family:  Dinematichthyidae (Viviparous brotula)
Max. size:  5 cm SL (male/unsexed); 5.3 cm SL (female)
Environment:  reef-associated; marine
Distribution:  Southwest Pacific: eastern Australia. Record from Japan (Machida, 1992) is erroneous (Ref. 34024).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal soft rays (total): 93-104; Anal soft rays: 64-76; Vertebrae: 45-47. This species possess the following set of characters: anterior nostril low on snout; copulatory organ of male with a simple and small flap-like pair of (outer) pseudoclaspers; small, size < 5.5 cm SL, short predorsal length 26.5-30.7 % SL; 13-14 precaudal vertebrae, 45-47 total vertebrae; D 93-104, A 64-76, branchiostegal rays 6-7, V in D 2.4-2.6; scale patch only on cheek, scaleless operculum; presence of upper preopercular pore; joined opening for the first and second lower preopercular pore; otolith elongate, its length to height 2.3-2.4, its sulcus with nearly straight dorsal and convex ventral rim, short with otolith length to sulcus length 2.0, colliculi is fused; maxilla expanded posteroventrally; short anterior anal fin pterygiophore (Ref. 76869).
Biology:  Common species found on shallow reefs (Ref. 34024). Benthic species which occurs in inshore waters (Ref. 75154).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 16 August 2019 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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