Species: Lepophidium staurophor, Barred Cusk-eel

Lepophidium staurophor Robins, 1959

Barred Cusk-eel

Elongate, eel-like, tapering at rear to a point at tail; head low, compressed; snout with well developed, curved spine at front, no fringes under tip; eye large; mouth large, broad, nearly horizontal; teeth on jaws small, simple, in bands, outer ones larger; no tooth patch at lower front of gill arches; gill rakers 4 (3-4) rudiments above, 8 (7-8) developed rakers below, with 0 (0-3) rudiments below, total 12 (11-14); dorsal and anal fins low, confluent with tail; dorsal fin 142-145 (140-147); anal fin 120-125; pectorals on midside, 22-23; pelvics each of two small threads inserted under eye; scales round, small, in regular overlapping rows; head extensively covered with overlapping scales extending to between or before eyes, on cheeks and opercle; lateral line complete.

Tan to reddish; upper ½ - 2/3 of body with 4-5 broad black bars, the 1st 2 extending across dorsal fin as blackish blotches, 1st bar at front of dorsal fin, 2nd above anal fin origin, bars 4-6 usually encircle body; dorsal fin with 5-6 backish areas; dorsal and anal fins without black edges; lower half of tail fin black.

Reaches 28 cm.

On soft bottoms.

Depth range: 182-535 m.

The Gulf of Mexico to Nicaragua.