Species: Ophidion guianense, Guianan cusk-eel
snout - 1 spine
Ophidion guianense Lea & Robins, 2003
Guianan cusk-eel
Elongate, compressed; upper and lower body profiles parallel for most of length; head compressed, profile rounded; snout overhangs mouth, but not distinctly protruding, with a short, prominent, stout, finger-shaped spine projecting down towards its tip; no pores on head except for 2 near front of lower jaw; gill rakers – 2-3 rudiments above, 5-6 developed rakers below; operculum with a strong, hidden spine; dorsal and anal fins continuous with tail; dorsal fin 112-117 (109-122); anal fin 91-96; pectoral fin 19-20 (18-21); pelvic fins (each with 2 rays of unequal length) inserted under eye, short, longest ray reaching center of operculum; scales smooth, elongate, not overlapping, at right angles rather than regular series, none on head; lateral line along most of body.
Uniform pale brown; outer edge of anal fin (and sometimes dorsal) dark in large fish.
Reaches 15.3 cm.
Benthic on sand and mud bottoms.
Depth range: 18-61 m.
E Caribbean to Guyana.
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
- Mud
- Soft bottom only
- Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
- FishBase Habitat
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- Demersal
- Feeding Group
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- Carnivore
- Data
- Diet
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- Data
- Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
- Bony fishes
- 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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- Extends South of GC
- All species..
- GC non-endemic
- Continent
- Island (s)
- Continent + Island (s)
- Continental primarily
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
- 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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- 15.3
- Depth Range Min
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- 18
- Depth Range Max
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- 61
