Teleostei (teleosts) >
Ophidiiformes (Cusk eels) >
Ophidiidae (Cusk-eels) > Neobythitinae
Etymology: Apagesoma: Greek, apages, -es, -es = soft, lacking firmness + Greek, soma = body (Ref. 45335); edentatum: From the absence of vomerine and basibranchial tooth patches; neuter noun in apposition (Ref. 40708).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; benthopelagic; depth range ? - 5082 m (Ref. 34024). Deep-water
Western Central Atlantic: off the Bahamas.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 75.2 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 40708)
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 116; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 98; Vertebrae: 50. Soft, watery body; eyes small; anterior nostril swollen; no spines on opercle and preopercle; preopercle posteriorly expanded; 10-12 developed rakers on anterior gill arch (Ref. 34024). Anal fin rays 111 in Ref. 40708. Distance of pelvic fin base to anal fin base is 27% SL (Ref. 40708).
Rare species (Ref. 34024). Apparently a slow swimmer because of its poorly developed musculature. Its large mouth opening and oral cavity may enable it to feed on a great size range of preys. The enlarged and swollen anterior nostril may reflect increased reliance on olfaction in recognition of conspecifics or food sources (Ref. 40708). Reproductive strategy possibly similar to other members of this family being oviparous, with oval pelagic eggs floating in a gelatinous mass (Ref. 205).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Nielsen, J.G., D.M. Cohen, D.F. Markle and 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. Rome: FAO. (Ref. 34024)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
Tools
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 2 - 2.2, mean 2.1 °C (based on 305 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.6250 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00380 (0.00167 - 0.00864), b=3.14 (2.94 - 3.34), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.8 ±0.6 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): High vulnerability (57 of 100).
