Species: Chlorophthalmus brasiliensis, Brazilian Greeneye

Chlorophthalmus brasiliensis Mead, 1958

Brazilian Greeneye

Body slender (height at dorsal fin origin 14.2-16% SL), ~round in cross-section at front; head 28.7-31.4% of SL; snout pointed, relatively short (> 77% orbit length), 9-10% of SL, somewhat depressed, pointed; eye large, pupil teardrop shaped, a pointed space before it; mouth oblique, opens above, lower jaw protruding, ending in a projecting horizontal, protruding triangular plate (tip of snout to tip of chin plate when mouth is closed = 23.8-28.5% of snout length) ; top jaw bone slightly expanded at rear, reaches just behind front of eye, with an extra small bone above the expanded part; teeth on jaws small, in bands; tongue with minute tooth-like denticles; center of roof of mouth without a pair of large fangs; teeth on sides of roof of mouth minute, restricted to front of bone; lower gill rakers 21 (20-23); fins without spines; dorsal fin 11, in front 1/3 of body, its origin before pelvic fin origin, a small skin-flap (adipose) 2nd dorsal fin at rear of body over center of anal fin; anal fin 9 (8-10); pectorals on midflank, inserted before origins of dorsal and anal fins, 15-17 rays, relatively short (22-24.7% SL); anus near pelvic fins, separated by only 2-3 scales from base of pelvic fins; tail fin forked, upper and lower lobes ~equal length; lateral line complete; scales rough or smooth; lateral scales 51-56; scales before dorsal fin 13 (12-15).

Yellowish to light brown; body with a row of dark saddles and another of oblique dark blotches along side; a black stripe along top of back; black lines along edges of scale rows; chin, edge of top jaw, linings of gill and abdominal cavities black.

Reaches 20 cm.

Benthic on mud bottoms.

Depth range: 230- 535 m.

Tropical west Atlantic; Florida to the Amazon.