Species: Aulopus filamentosus, Yellowfin Aulopus, Yellowfin Flagfin

Aulopus filamentosus (Bloch, 1792)

Yellowfin Aulopus, Yellowfin Flagfin

Body slender and cylindrical; head robust, with pointed, conical snout; eyes large, horizontally eliptical with circular pupils; mouth large, opens at front, ends under eye, with two supramaxilla bones expanding the rear part of top jaw; small, simple, depressible teeth on jaws; teeth on tongue and roof of mouth; fins without spines; first dorsal fin high, its origin over or a little behind pelvic origin, with 14-16 rays, 1st 2 with a long filament in males; second dorsal fin a flap of skin with a short base; pelvics on thorax, their origin behind base of pectorals, larger than pectorals, outer 4 rays with thick skin, 9 rays; pectorals on mid-side, 11-14 rays; anal fin 10-13 rays, originates on rear ½ of body; tail fin strongly forked; scales on most of head and body, those on upper body spiny or rough, largest on gill cover; those on snout, top of head, belly and breast smooth; base of tail fin with bony scales.

Head and body greenish to olive, upper parts with yellow tint; scales are iridescent, with dark edges; belly silvery to pinkish; body with dark saddles and blotches on mid-side; head darker, purplish to reddish; female with orange to red blotches on fins, front of 1st dorsal with a black tip; male with brighter red, orange and yellow marks on fins.

Reaches 51 cm.

Lives on soft bottoms.

Depth range: 50-1000 m, usually 100-200 m.

E & W Atlantic and the Mediterranean; in the W Atlantic from Bermuda to Brazil.