Species: Monomitopus agassizii, Agassiz's Brotula, Threespine Cusk-eel, Threespine Brotula

Monomitopus agassizii (Goode & Bean, 1896)

Threespine Cusk-eel, Agassiz's Brotula, Threespine Brotula

Moderately slender, tapering to a point at rear; head relatively deep, upper profile convex, its length about ½ length before anus; eye equal to or slightly < snout; snout pointed, overhanging mouth; mouth slightly oblique, large, extends behind eye; jaw teeth simple, small, granular and close-set; 1 tooth-patch at lower front of gill arches; long gill rakers 28-33; operculum with 1 straight, rounded, strong spine with a single point; preoperculum with 3 poorly developed spines at lower angle, lower 2 spines larger; dorsal rays 100-106; anal rays 83-89; pelvic fins with 1 ray, shorter than head, close together, under preopercle; pectoral fins nearer center of side than lower profile, 30-35 rays; tail fin continuous with dorsal and anal; body covered with small, smooth, easily shed scales; head wholly covered with scales except lips and under throat; 7-10 oblique scale rows between origin of dorsal fin and lateral line.

Color pale.

Reaches 19.5 cm.

On soft bottoms, in the water column near bottom.

Depth range: 48-1408 m.

The Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean, also in Brazil.