Hardhead snailfish (Lopholiparis flerxi)

Scientific name: Lopholiparis flerxi Orr, 2004

The Hardhead snailfish (Lopholiparis flerxi) is a marine fish of the family Liparidae. Native range: Northeast Pacific, Aleutian Islands.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 35; Anal soft rays: 28; Vertebrae: 40. This species is characterized by the following; with frontal, sphenotic, and operc1e enlarged and heavily ossified, its body is otherwise soft, naked, and smooth; large pelvic disk, its longitudinal diameter 43.9% head length (HL); low dorsal- and anal-fin ray counts low: D VII, 28; A 28; pectoral-fin rays 29; principal caudal-fin rays 13; the anterior 6 weakly punctate dorsal-fin rays form a small lobe; short gill opening, extending from above pectoral fin to pectoral-fin ray 2; no pseudobranch; teeth strongly trilobed; nostrils single; cephalic lateralis pores 2-6-7-2; no subcutaneous gelatinous layer; body pale yellow in alcohol; no pigments on orobranchial cavity, peritoneum, stomach, intestines, and pyloric caeca.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Lopholiparis flerxi
Family
Liparidae (Snailfishes)
Order
Scorpaeniformes (Scorpionfishes and Flatheads)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
3.3
Depth range
285 m (935 ft)
Environment
Marine; pelagic-oceanic; depth range 285 - 285 m
Climate
Temperate
Distribution
Northeast Pacific: Aleutian Islands.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Resilience
High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Sources

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

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