| Family: |
Bythitidae (Livebearing brotulas) |
| Max. size: |
6.5 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
bathydemersal; marine; depth range 30 - 569 m |
| Distribution: |
Mediterranean Sea and subtropical Eastern Atlantic: Greece, Adriatic Sea, Tyrrhenian Sea, south Portugal and off Madeira (Ref. 4758, Ref. 13359). Also one specimen from 29°50.2'N, 28°29.8'W (Ref. 4758). Subtropical western Atlantic specimens may be this species (Ref. 34024). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 81-96; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 64-76. Mouth is large, with strong jaws; six caudal rays (Ref. 13359). Swim-bladder present; pelvic fins absent; several sharp spines present at lower angle of opercle; precaudal vertebrae 10 to 12; caudal fin broadly joined to dorsal and anal fins; male intromittent organ lacking ossified parts; females have genital pores (Ref. 34024). |
| Biology: |
Depth range from 30-500 m (Ref. 6526) and from 460-569 m in the eastern Ionian Sea (Ref. 56504). The food of Bellottia apoda appears to be a mixture of planktonic and benthic preys (Ref. 13359). Viviparous (Ref. 6526). Uncommon species (Ref. 34024), but it is not so rare as it seemed in the Adriatic Sea (Ref. 13359). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 09 January 2018 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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