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Ophidiiformes (Cusk eels) >
Ophidiidae (Cusk-eels) > Ophidiinae
Etymology: Ophidion: Diminutive of Greek, ophis = serpent (Ref. 45335); antipholus: Named for the brothers Antipholus (Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors), whose identities were confused throughout the play; noun in apposition.
Eponymy: The brothers Antipholus are characters in Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors. (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
More on authors: Lea & Robins.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; benthopelagic; depth range 10 - 69 m (Ref. 81834), usually 15 - 40 m (Ref. 81834). Subtropical
Western Atlantic. USA (from South Carolina to Palm Beach, Florida) and Mexico (off northern coast of Yucatan).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 21.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 81834)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal soft rays (total): 111 - 133; Anal soft rays: 94 - 103; Vertebrae: 65 - 69. This species is characterized by the following features: D 111-133 (usually 116-123); A 94-103; pectoral fin rays 18 or 19 (rarely 20 or 21); precaudal vertebrae 15-17 (usually 16), caudal vertebrae 49-53 (usually 50-52), total vertebrae 65-69 (usually 66-68); lower arm of first gill arch with 5 or 6 developed rakers; rounded head profile with mouth distinctly inferior; dorsal and ventral profiles of body nearly parallel for much of its length; unmarked body; short and unequal pelvic-fin rays, longer reaching to point directly under anterior edge of opercle (Ref. 81834).
Observed on open sand and mud bottoms (Ref. 81834). Reproductive strategy possibly similar to other members of this family featuring oviparity, with oval pelagic eggs floating in a gelatinous mass (Ref. 205).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Lea, R.N. and C.R. Robins, 2003. Four new species of the genus Ophidion (Pisces: Ophidiidae) from the western Atlantic Ocean. University of Kansas Museum of Natural History, Scientific Papers No. 31:1-9. (Ref. 81834)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 22.9 - 27.7, mean 25.5 °C (based on 160 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00102 (0.00046 - 0.00225), b=3.06 (2.88 - 3.24), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.6 ±0.7 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (16 of 100).
