Bothrocara brunneum

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bothrocara brunneum
Bothrocara brunneum.jpg
B. brunneum swimming by a seabed.
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Zoarcidae
Genus: Bothrocara
Species:
B. brunneum
Binomial name
Bothrocara brunneum
(Bean, 1890)[1]
Synonyms

Bothrocaropsis rictolata Garman, 1899
Maynea brunnea Bean, 1890

Bothrocara brunneum, the twoline eelpout, is a benthic[2] species of fish of the family Zoarcidae. The species is the only fish of the eelpouts to have two lateral lines and short blunt-ended gill rakers.[3] The species has a wide range across the northeastern Pacific Ocean, between the Bering Sea and the shores of San Francisco,[4] and from Attu Island to the Baja California Peninsula.[5]

It inhabits the bottom of seas or oceans and is generally found in a depth ranging between 2,000 feet (610 m) and 6,000 feet (1,829 m).[4] It has been hypothesized from an analysis of stomach content that the species feeds mainly on bottom-dwelling creatures.[4] Etymologically, Bothrocara stands for "cavity head" and brunneum for "brown", named respectively after the appearance of the head and the tinted brown colour of the body.[6] It was named "twoline eelpout" for its unique two lateral lines.

Description[]

The twoline eelpout has been found to have two lateral lines, the only one of its family, and also has a small blunt-ended gill raker.[3] Its dorsal and anal fins are covered in a gelatinous tissue.[5] Twoline eelpouts are bathydemersal (below 650 feet),[5] and can generally be found at a depth between 2,000 feet (610 m) and 6,000 feet (1,829 m).[4] They generally average approximately 1327 eggs per batch.[7]

Feeding habits[]

It has been hypothesized that, judging by an analysis of stomach content, the species feeds primarily on bottom-dwelling creatures, habitually eating anything it comes across that has food value and that is small enough to ingest.[4] As predators, they are capable of being a specialist species.[8]

References[]

  1. ^ Contribution from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. 1979. p. 795.
  2. ^ Pacific science. 2007. p. 137.
  3. ^ a b E. Fitch, John (1968). p. 77. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ^ a b c d e E. Fitch, John (1968). p. 78. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. ^ a b c "Bothrocara brunneum (Bean, 1890)". FishBase. October 6, 2010. Retrieved August 14, 2011.
  6. ^ E. Fitch, John (1968). p. 79. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. ^ Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts: Biological Sciences and Living Resources. 2001. p. 222.
  8. ^ J. Kotta (2004). p. 301. Missing or empty |title= (help)

Bibliography[]

External links[]

Retrieved from ""