| Microdesmidae (Wormfishes), subfamily: Ptereleotrinae |
| 4.07 cm SL (female) |
|
demersal; freshwater; depth range 45 - 85 m |
| Northwest Pacific: currently known only from southern Japan. |
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Dorsal spines (total): 7-7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 19-19; Anal spines: 1-1; Anal soft rays: 19-20; Vertebrae: 26-26. This species is distinguished by the following characters: lower lip with free ventral margin over whole length, the fold narrowing at anterior tip of lower jaw; compressed head and body; elongated body; naked cheek, preoperculum and operculum while most of the body scaled; most scales are cycloid, but with ctenoid patch below pectoral fin and on posterior region of caudal peduncle, imbricate, in 92-97 vertical rows; terminal mouth only slightly protrusible, forming an angle of 27-37° to longitudinal axis of body; maxilla reaching posteriorly to below the middle of eye; head pores are paired laterally, with 4 pores around dorsal margin of each eye; relatively short and rounded snout with length less than eye diameter; anterior nostril at the end of a short tube while posterior nostril a simple pore; head papillae in a transverse pattern; median nuchal crest, formed by very low fold of skin, from first dorsal spine onto head to just above the middle to posterior end of operculum; gill opening is moderate, extending from upper pectoral-fin base ventrally to just below posterior preopercular margin; interorbital about three-quarters diameter of eye; gill rakers on first arch 5+1+10, spatulate and elongate; all rakers are ossified, those on second, third and fourth arches tuberculate, with dorsal spiny projections; D1 VI, D2 I,19; A I,19-20; pectoral-fin rays 20; segmented caudal-fin rays usually 9+8; branched caudal-fin rays 6+5; pelvic fins are separate, each with rays I,4; vertebrae 10+16; branchiostegals 5 (Ref. 83368). |
| An epibenthic species found in sandy and muddy bottoms on the steep slope. Adults form epibenthic schools, comprising 10-300 individuals (in Kagoshima Bay) (Ref. 83368). |
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Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
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| harmless |
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In Kagoshima Bay, adults form epibenthic schools (10-300 individuals) where there are at least 15 adult schools. From late October to late November, approximately 2.0 cm TL juveniles were found in schools of about 10 individuals. In May 2007, at the outer edge of a reef off Amami-oshima Island, there aer about 30 individuals observed at a depth of 60 m (Ref. 83368). |
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