Verilus anomalus (Ogilby, 1896)
Threespine cardinalfish
Verilus anomalus
photo by CSIRO

Family:  Malakichthyidae (Temperate ocean-basses)
Max. size:  15 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; brackish; marine; depth range 0 - 600 m
Distribution:  Indo-Pacific: Endemic to Australia.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 10-10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-10; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 7-7. This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: lower jaw with a row of conical teeth posterior to a canine tooth near symphysis; presence of basioccipital fossa; proximal-middle radial of first anal-fin pterygiophore with a narrow and elongate concavity on anterior surface; pectoral-fin rays 14; first gill arch with gill rakers on lower arm 20-23; lateral-line scales 44-51; body depth 22.2-28.1% SL; scales cycloid and very weakly ctenoid (Ref. 123567).
Biology:  A temperate species occurring in a wide range of habitats and depths from estuaries (< 40 m) to the continental slope (ca. 100-600 m), but most common in outer shelf and upper slope waters (Ref. 9563, 33616). Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 57178.
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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