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Species: Neobythites multiocellatus, Ocellated Brotula, Threespot Cusk-eel, Threespot Brotula

All Families:   All Genera:   All Species:

D 94-101, 3-4 ocelli, front ocellus midbody
preopercle: 1 broad, weak spine
pectoral 23-27
A 79-90

Neobythites multiocellatus Nielsen & Uiblein & Mincarone, 2009

Threespot Cusk-eel, Ocellated Brotula, Threespot 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; 4+1+11 long gill rakers; upper rear corner of operculum with a large, straight, round spine; preoperculum with 1 broad, weak spine at its lower angle; dorsal fin origin over pectoral base, 98 (94-101) rays; anal fin 83 (79-90) rays; pectorals 25 (23-27); pelvics close together and inserted under preoperculum, each fin consisting of a pair of rays that are united by a membrane near their bases, 20 (15.5-23)% SL; 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 brown; dorsal fin with a small dark spot at front, plus 3 (rarely 4) ocelli; front ocellus at mid-body just behind level of anal fin origin; sometimes 1-4 dark spots on anal fin.

Reaches 15.2 cm SL.

Lives on and above soft bottoms.

Depth range: 100-770 m.

The Bahamas and the Caribbean.


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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
  • Bathydemersal
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 endemic
  • West Atlantic Endemic
Regional Endemism
  • Continent
  • Continent + Island (s)
  • Extends South of GC
  • GC endemic
  • Island (s)
  • All species
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
  • Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
  • Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
IUCN Red List
  • Least concern
  • Listed
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 15.2
Depth Range Min
  • 100
Depth Range Max
  • 770