Bony-eared assfish (Acanthonus armatus)

Scientific name: Acanthonus armatus G?nther, 1878

The Bony-eared assfish (Acanthonus armatus) is a marine fish of the family Ophidiidae.

Biology

Head large and body tapering. Snout with prominent, bifid spine. Opercular spine long and slender extending well beyond rear margin of head. Well developed spines at lower angle of preopercle. Eye small. Anterior gill arch with 16-22 developed rakers. Precaudal vertebrae 9-10.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Acanthonus armatus
Family: Ophidiidae (Cusk-eels)
Order: Ophidiiformes (Cusk eels)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 37.5
Depth range: 1171–4415 m (3842–14485 ft)
Environment: Marine; bathypelagic; depth range 1171 - 4415 m
Climate: Deep-water
Distribution: In deep waters off tropical and subtropical areas of all oceans. Especially abundant in the tropical western Atlantic. Reported from Carlsberg Ridge (6?22'N 60?12'E) and New Guinea. Known from Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, southern India, Philippines, Gulf of Panama and tropical west Africa.
Conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Fisheries: of no interest
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Last updated 27 September 2026