Genus: Neobythites, Cusk-Eels, Brotula

NEOBYTHITES

CUSK-EELS

Head and body compressed, tapering strongly at rear; head large (at least half of length before anal fin); eye large (~ equal to snout length); front nostril halfway between top lip and rear nostril; mouth large (extends behind eye), oblique, opens at front; teeth on front (a V shaped patch) and sides of roof of mouth, two tooth patches on base of gill arches behind tongue; upper rear corner of operculum with a large, straight, round spine; preoperculum with 0-2 (rarely 3) small hidden spines at its lower angle; pectorals 22-34; pelvics close together and inserted under preoperculum, each fin consisting of a pair of rays that are united by a membrane near their bases; tail fin continuous with dorsal and anal but extends well behind them; lateral line incomplete (restricted to front 85% of body and tail); head and body entirely covered with smooth scales.

A circumglobal tropical to subtropical genus with about 50 species; 7 species found in and endemic to our region.