Teleostei (teleosts) >
Ophidiiformes (Cusk eels) >
Bythitidae (Livebearing brotulas)
Etymology: Lucifuga: Latin, lux = light + latin, fugere = to escape, to avoid, to run away from (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Poey.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal; pH range: ? - 8.0; dH range: ? - 20. Tropical; ? - 24°C (Ref. 89994); 22°N - 20°N
Central America: Cuba.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 9.4 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 13498); 9.3 cm NG (female)
Common species inhabiting shallow water caves, sinkholes ad crevices (Ref. 34024). Feeds on cirolanid isopods. Viviparous. Sometimes found together with L. dentata and L. teresinarum (Ref. 34024).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Viviparous; a 6.5 cm female contained four 2.0 cm young.
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 2024-2)
Endangered (EN) (B1ab(iii,iv,v)+2ab(iii,iv,v)); Date assessed: 31 March 2020
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5078 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00447 (0.00172 - 0.01163), b=3.10 (2.87 - 3.33), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.3 ±0.53 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Fec=4).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).