Species: Ophidion lagochila, Harelip Cusk-eel
snout: 1 spine, tip wrinkled, with 3 fleshy flaps
fins pale

Ophidion lagochila (Bohlke & Robins, 1959)
Harelip Cusk-eel
Elongate, compressed; head compressed; top of head cavernous; snout tip wrinkled, grooved, and with 3 fleshy flaps hanging down under nostrils to lower jaw level on each side, with a small spine that is hooked backwards; rear end of top jaw bone rounded, not expanded; gill rakers: 3 rudiments above, 4-5 rakers below; operculum with a strong, hidden spine; dorsal and anal fins continuous with tail; dorsal fin 123-125; anal fin 103-105; pelvic fins (each with 2 rays of unequal length) inserted under eye; scales smooth, elongate, not overlapping, at right angles rather than regular series, none on head, or midline of belly or on nape; lateral line along most of body.
Tan, darker above; rear of top of head outlined in black, cavernous top of head dark; fins pale. Juvenile: body pale; vertebral column visible in a dark streak; a dark streak along the lateral line; top of head with a dark 6-pointed blotch
Reaches 7 cm.
Benthic on sandy bottoms around coral heads and limestone rocks.
Depth range: 1-15 m.
Bermuda to the SE Caribbean.

High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
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- Marine
- Marine Only
- Inshore/Offshore
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- Inshore
- Inshore Only
- Water Column Position
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- Bottom
- Habitat
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- Sand & gravel
- Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
- Soft bottom only
- Reef (rock/coral/oyster)
- Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
- FishBase Habitat
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- Reef Associated
- Feeding Group
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- Carnivore
- Data
- Diet
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- Data
- Bony fishes
- Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
- Egg Type
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- Data
- Pelagic
- Pelagic larva
- Global Endemism
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- All species
- Greater Caribbean endemic
- West Atlantic Endemic
- Regional Endemism
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- GC endemic
- Island (s)
- Island (s) only
- All species
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
- Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
- Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
- IUCN Red List
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- Least concern
- Listed
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 7
- Depth Range Min
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- 1
- Depth Range Max
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- 15