Species: Ophidion selenops, Mooneye Cusk-eel
snout - 2 spines
A 123-129
mid-side - +/- dark stripe
Ophidion selenops Robins & Bohlke, 1959
Mooneye Cusk-eel
Elongate, compressed; head compressed; eye large; snout with a short, backward pointing spine behind a larger finger-shaped forward and down pointing spine; teeth on sides of roof of mouth in 2 rows in large fish; 4 lower gill rakers; operculum with a strong, hidden spine; dorsal and anal fins continuous with tail; dorsal fin 132-140; anal fin 123-129; 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; scales at rear of tail are small, few and scattered; lateral line along most of body.
Pale, a dark line along top of back before dorsal fin meets a dark anchor-shaped mark at rear of head; sometimes a dark line along midside of body and tail.
Reaches 10 cm.
Benthic on sand bottoms.
Depth range: 20-307 m.
S Carolina to the Gulf of Mexico.
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
- FishBase Habitat
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- Demersal
- Feeding Group
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- Carnivore
- Data
- Diet
-
- 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 non-endemic
- West Atlantic Endemic
- Regional Endemism
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- Continent
- Continent only
- Extends North of GC
- GC non-endemic
- All species
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
- IUCN Red List
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- Least concern
- Listed
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 10
- Depth Range Min
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- 20
- Depth Range Max
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- 307
