Teleostei (teleosts) >
Ophidiiformes (Cusk eels) >
Ophidiidae (Cusk-eels) > Neobythitinae
Etymology: Bassozetus: Latin, bassus = thick, fat + Greek, ketos = marine mosnter, whale (Ref. 45335).
More on authors: Smith & Radcliffe.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 1990 - 4970 m (Ref. 34024). Deep-water
Indian Ocean (Ref. 34024). Western Central Pacific: off New Caledonia and Philippines (Ref. 31524) and the Gulf of Tomini, Celebes, Indonesia (Ref. 26282).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 48.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 31524)
Dorsal soft rays (total): 122 - 128; Anal soft rays: 104 - 108; Vertebrae: 68 - 70. Snout inflated; eyes much smaller than snout; opercular spine weak or absent; preopercle without spines and posteriorly expanded almost reaching posterior margin of opercle; pseudobranchial filaments 2 (Ref. 34024).
Specimens were caught on or near the bottom from upper slope to abyssal depths (Ref. 84269). Uncommon species (Ref. 34024). 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): 1.8 - 3, mean 2 °C (based on 1463 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5001 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00110 (0.00040 - 0.00297), b=3.08 (2.85 - 3.31), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.7 ±0.6 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate vulnerability (43 of 100).