Species: Lepophidium profundorum, Fawn Cusk-eel

Lepophidium profundorum (Gill, 1863)

Fawn Cusk-eel

Elongate, eel-like, tapering at rear to a point at tail; head low, compressed; snout with well developed, curved spine at front, no fringes under tip; eye large; mouth large, broad, nearly horizontal; teeth on jaws small, simple, in bands, outer ones larger; no tooth patch at lower front of gill arches; gill rakers 2-3 rudiments above, 5-7 (4-8) well developed rakers below, plus 0-4 rudiments, total 9-11 (8-13); dorsal and anal fins low, confluent with tail; dorsal fin inserted far back, 131-137 (129-142); anal fin 112-117 (109-121); pectorals on midside, pale, 21-23 (20-24); pelvics each of two small threads inserted under eye; scales round, small, in regular overlapping rows; head extensively covered with overlapping scales extending to between or before eyes, on cheeks and opercle; lateral line complete.

Sooty to yellowish brown; rear of roof of mouth, gill chamber & oesophagus black; a row of 14-23 >pupil sized white spots along upper half of body; another series of pale spots above that on the front of the body; edges of dorsal and anal fins black at rear.

Reaches 26.5 cm.

On soft bottoms.

Depth range: 29-404 m.

Georges Bank to the SW Gulf of Mexico.