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Genus: Gephyroberyx, Slimehead Roughy, Slimeheads


All Families:   All Genera:   All Species:

oblong body
head ridged, many sensory canals
D VIII, spiny base > A base
snout - 2 spines point forwards
opercle - strong spine
preopercle - flat spine
belly - keel of scales
LL scales slightly enlarged, with small spine

GEPHYROBERYX

SLIMEHEADS

Body oblong, compressed; head large, with extensive skin-covered sensory canals separated by spiny ridges; eyes moderate to large; snout rounded, with a pair of forward pointing spines; mouth large and oblique; an extra bone above rear of top jaw; teeth small, simple, in bands; preopercle with a flat triangular spine; a large spine projecting back from top corner of operculum; anus just before anal fin; 1 dorsal fin with VIII (rarely VII) striated spines and 12-18 soft rays, base of spiny part not shorter than anal fin base; anal fin II-III, 8-12, short base; tail fin forked, with 4-8 short, spiny rays at top and bottom of its base; scales thick and spiny; large keeled scales along midline of belly between pelvic and anal fins; lateral line scales a little larger than surrounding scales and each with a small, flat, triangular spine.

An Atlantic and Indo-W Pacific genus with a single Atlantic species.