Description

Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 4 - 5; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 4; Vertebrae: 20. A large median and two small lateral oval caruncles immediately in front of origin of dorsal fin (Ref. 13608). Branchiostegal rays: 6 (Ref. 36494).

Common Names

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Lophiiformes

Family: Ceratiidae

Genus: Cryptopsaras

Species: Cryptopsaras couesii Gill, 1883

Climate Zone

Location

• Circumglobal: tropical and subtropical.

Biology

Males dwarfed, becoming parasitic on females. Maximum size of free-living males is 1.05 cm (Ref. 4494). Females are oviparous, with planktonic larvae (Ref. 36494). Eggs are presumably contained in floating gelatinous rafts (Ref. 36494 ).

Habitat

bathypelagic

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Threat to Humans

Harmless