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Lophiiformes (Anglerfishes) >
Himantolophidae (Footballfishes)
Etymology: Himantolophus: Greek, himas or himantos = leather strap, thong or leash (referring to the thick leathery illicium) + Greek, lopho or lophio = crest or tuft (referring to the baited illicium projecting from the head) (Ref. 86949).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathypelagic; depth range ? - 1830 m (Ref. 13608), usually 200 - 800 m. Deep-water; 70°N - 50°S, 98°W - 0°E
Tropical and temperate parts of all oceans.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 4.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 10299); 60.0 cm SL (female)
Dorsal
spines
(total): 1;
Dorsal
soft rays
(total): 5-6;
Anal
spines: 0;
Anal
soft rays: 4. Illicium short, its base in advance of eye; rays of pectoral and unpaired fins sparsely pigmented, except their bases black; two pairs of swellings in the distal end of esca, almost equal in size and shape (Ref. 13608).
Dwarf males of 4 cm length apparently do not become parasitically attached to females.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Pietsch, T.W., 1986. Himantolophidae. p. 376. In M.M. Smith and P.C. Heemstra (eds.) Smiths' sea fishes. Springer-Verlag, Berlin. (Ref. 10299)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 126983)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
More information
ReferencesAquacultureAquaculture profileStrainsGeneticsAllele frequenciesHeritabilityDiseasesProcessingNutrientsMass conversion
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