Verilus pacificus (Mochizuki, 1979)
Verilus pacificus
photo by Justine, J.-L.

Family:  Malakichthyidae (Temperate ocean-basses)
Max. size:  40 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; marine; depth range 60 - 500 m
Distribution:  Western Central Pacific: Japan, Taiwan and off Samoa Is., Fiji, Tuvalu and New Caledonia.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 10-10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-10; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 7-7; Vertebrae: 25-25. 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; absence of basioccipital fossa; proximal-middle radial of first anal-fin pterygiophore with no concavity on anterior surface; pectoral-fin rays 15; first gill arch with 14-15 gill rakers on lower arm; lateral-line scales 49-51 (Ref. 123567).
Biology:  Apparently occurs on rocky slopes of islands and seamounts (Ref. 37257).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.