Phyllorhinichthys micractis Pietsch, 1969

Family:  Oneirodidae (Dreamers)
Max. size:  12 cm SL (female)
Environment:  bathypelagic; marine; depth range 1000 - 3600 m
Distribution:  Eastern Pacific: 2 records of which holotype, Off Guadalupe Island, Mexico (29°16'30"-29°35'30"N, 118°11'30"-118°18'30"W). North-eastern Atlantic: 1 record (56°N, 26°W). Central-western Atlantic: 1 record in Sargasso Sea. Indian Ocean: 1 record.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal soft rays (total): 5-6; Anal soft rays: 5-5. Diagnosis: Metamorphosed females of this species have short illicium (11.5-12.6%SL); have two anterior escal appendage; and considerably shorter, stouter, distal escal appendage (6.4-15.8%SL) (Ref. 53300). Further characterized by presence of vomerine teeth; strongly convex dorsal margin of frontal bones; well developed sphenotic spines; skin is smooth and naked, without dermal spinules; darkly pigmented skin of caudal peduncle extends well past base of caudal fin (Ref. 86949).
Biology:  Known from nine (9) known specimens (Ref. 10523, 53300). A 9.6-cm specimen appears to be a sexually mature, where the right ovary, about 26 mm long (27.1%SL), contains approximately 130,000 eggs (count based on extrapolation from wet weight) each about 0.3 mm in diameter (Ref. 53300).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 08 July 2014 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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