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Species: Porichthys oculofrenum, Ocelated toadfish

All Families:   All Genera:   All Species:

upper head & nape: spots + worm-lines
gill rakers 12
pectoral 16-17, tip with dark ocellus
light-organ line under throat V shaped

Porichthys oculofrenum Gilbert, 1968

Ocelated toadfish

Body compressed, elongate; head a little flattened above, no tentacles; 1 strong solid spine on opercle, no subopercular spines; teeth like canines; 12-13 gill rakers; gill openings restricted to side, before pectoral fin base; dorsal rays II (solid) + 29-32; anal rays 27-30; pectoral fin 16-17 rays; discrete glands on inner surface of pectoral between upper fin rays, no pore behind pectoral fin base; four lateral lines with conspicuous rows of light organs; row of light organs behind chin row form a V shape; no scales.

About 6 dark blotches forming saddles along upper body in large fish, these extending onto dorsal fin; numerous small dark spots and worm-like marks on upper head and front of back; tail fin with a dark bar on its base; dorsal and anal fins with dark margins; a dark ocellus at upper tip of pectoral fin.

Size: grows to at least 11 cm.

Inhabits soft bottoms.

Depth: 57-62 m.

Venezuela to Brazil.


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Salinity
  • Marine
  • Marine Only
Inshore/Offshore
  • Inshore
  • Inshore Only
Water Column Position
  • Bottom
Habitat
  • Soft bottom only
  • Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
  • Mud
FishBase Habitat
  • Demersal
Feeding Group
  • Data
  • Carnivore
Diet
  • Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
  • Mobile benthic gastropods/bivalves
  • Octopus/squid/cuttlefish
  • Bony fishes
  • Data
Egg Type
  • Benthic
  • No pelagic larva
  • No pelagic phase
  • Data
Global Endemism
  • West Atlantic Endemic
  • Greater Caribbean non-endemic
  • All species.
Regional Endemism
  • Extends South of GC
  • Also in Brazil
  • Continent
  • All species..
  • GC non-endemic
  • Continent only
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
IUCN Red List
  • Data deficient
  • Listed
CITES
  • Not listed
Depth Range Max
  • 62
Depth Range Min
  • 57
Length Max
  • 11