Description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 5 - 7; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 4. Distinguishing characteristics of metamorphosed female: relatively small esca, width about equal to length; conspicuous bulbous posteriorly oriented terminal escal papilla; absence of posterior and anterior escal appendages; escal pore at posterobasal margin of terminal papilla; teeth in lower jaw 25-65, upper jaw with 27-82 teeth; vomerine teeth 4-14 (Ref. 86949).

Common Names

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Lophiiformes

Family: Diceratiidae

Genus: Diceratias

Species: Diceratias pileatus Uwate, 1979

Climate Zone

Location

• Eastern Atlantic: four records along the African coast north of the equator. Western Atlantic: both tropical and subtropical.

Biology

Found near or on continental shelf, old specimens probably benthic (Ref. 6939). Bentho-, meso- and bathypelagic (Ref. 58302).

Habitat

bathypelagic

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Threat to Humans

Harmless