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Species: Neobythites gilli, Twospot Brotula

All Families:   All Genera:   All Species:

upper body - series dark blotches
D 88-95, 2 dark blotches + 2 (1-4) ocelli
preopercle 0-1 weak spine
pectoral 23-25
A 73-80, dark & white bars

Neobythites gilli Goode & Bean, 1885

Twospot Brotula

Head and body compressed, tapering strongly at rear; head large (at least half of length before anal fin); eye large (~equal to snout length); mouth large (extends behind eye), slightly oblique, at front; teeth small, simple on front (a V shaped patch) and sides of roof of mouth, two tooth patches on base of gill arches behind tongue, front patch long, tapering, rear patch small, round; 3-4+8-10 long gill rakers; upper rear corner of operculum with a large, straight, round spine; lower angle of preoperculum with spine weak or absent, broad in small fish; dorsal fin origin slightly behind pectoral base, 93 (88-97) dorsal rays; anal fin 77 (73-81); pectorals 24 (23-25); pelvics close together and inserted under preoperculum, each fin consisting of a pair of rays that are united by a membrane near their bases, 15-20% SL, reach 2/3 distance to anal fin; tail fin joined to dorsal and anal fins but extends well behind them; lateral line incomplete (restricted to front 85% of body and tail); head and body entirely covered with smooth scales, 7 scale rows between lateral line and dorsal fin.

Light yellow brown; belly and under throat and lower jaw with numerous dark dots; inside mouth and gill chamber black; a series of indistinct dark blotches along upper body, the last two extending onto dorsal fin, with the first of those dorsal fin blotches forming a black oval in the center of the fin; dorsal fin usually with 2 (1-4)ocelli; anal fin with alternating dark grey and white bars.

Reaches 15.2 cm.

Lives on and above soft bottoms.

Depth range: 59-640 m; usually deeper than 185 m.

The Gulf of Mexico, also in Brazil.


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Salinity
  • Marine
  • Marine Only
Inshore/Offshore
  • In & Offshore
  • Inshore
  • Offshore
Water Column Position
  • Bottom
  • Bottom + water column
  • Near Bottom
Habitat
  • Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
  • Soft bottom only
  • Water column
  • Mud
FishBase Habitat
  • Bentho-Pelagic
Feeding Group
  • Carnivore
  • Data
Diet
  • Data
  • Bony fishes
  • Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
  • Mobile benthic gastropods/bivalves
Egg Type
  • Data
  • Pelagic
  • Pelagic larva
Global Endemism
  • All species
  • Greater Caribbean non-endemic
  • West Atlantic Endemic
Regional Endemism
  • Also in Brazil
  • Continent
  • Continent only
  • Extends South of GC
  • GC non-endemic
  • All species
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
IUCN Red List
  • Least concern
  • Listed
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 15.2
Depth Range Min
  • 59
Depth Range Max
  • 640