Grammonus opisthodon explained

Grammonus opisthodon, the bighead brotula, is a species of fish known from South Africa.

Description

This fish has an eel-like body with a rounded head. It is dark brown in colour with small brown spots on the head. The dorsal, anal and caudal fins are translucent and continuous with many fine rays.^[1] They have no spiny rays.^[2] The largest known specimen was 5cm (02inches) long.^[3]

Distribution and habitat

This fish is known from two nearby sites off the coast of the Eastern Cape of South Africa. It has been found at a depth of 22m (72feet) at Port Alfred and the Storms River Mouth.

Conservation

Only two specimens have been collected - one prior to 1934 and a second in the early 1980s.This species is currently listed as data deficient by the IUCN as very little is known about it.

References

1. Book: Zsilavecz, Guido . Coastal fishes of the Cape Peninsula and False Bay : a divers' identification guide . 2005 . Southern Underwater Research Group . 0-620-34230-7 . Cape Town . 70133147.
2. Cohen, D.M., 1986. Bythitidae. p. 354-356. In M.M. Smith and P.C. Heemstra (eds.) Smiths' sea fishes. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
3. Holleman, W., Fennessy, S., Russell, B. & Maunde, C. 2020. Grammonus opisthodon. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T135442457A137454516. . Accessed on 15 March 2023.