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Escal appendage pattern B; esca with an internally pigmented anterior appendage shorter than half diameter of escal bulb, that of holotype bearing small secondary appendages on anterior and posterior margins, pigmented distally (simple, with only a small posterior spot in paratype); a pair of branched medial filaments, length two to three times diameter of bulb, with stout secondary appendages emerging near posterior margin of base, some proximal secondary appendages bifurcated or trifurcated, distal secondary appendages simple; simple or branched filaments emerging anterolaterally on each side of escal bulb and medially between anterior appendage and medial pair, about five in each series, most all heavily pigmented; a truncated, internally pigmented terminal escal papilla with a distal streak of pigment, continuous on each side with a larger proximal, anterolateral pigment spot; posterior escal appendage cylindrical, tapering, unpigmented, length less than one-fourth diameter of escal bulb, with two small secondary appendages near distal tip in holotype, simple and about equal to diameter of escal bulb in paratype; except for anterior and posterior escal appendages (and anterior-most anterolateral filaments and distal tips of medial appendages of paratype) all appendages and filaments darkly pigmented throughout length.
Subopercle short and broad, ventral end semicircular, dorsal end tapering in holotype, rounded in paratype, without posterior indentation; length of ventral fork of opercle 25.2–29.5% SL; ratio of lengths of dorsal and ventral forks of opercle 0.38–0.54.
Epibranchial teeth absent; teeth present on pharyngobranchial II; total number of teeth in upper jaw 30–34, in lower jaw 40–41; number of teeth on vomer 6–8; dorsal-fin rays 5 or 6; anal-fin rays 4; pectoral-fin rays 16 or 17.Measurements in percent of standard length: head length 36.3–42.5; head depth 37.0–49.3; premaxilla length 27.4–38.5; lower jaw length 42.6–51.3; illicium length 13.7–25.6.Sexual maturity: The ovaries of the holotype are about 23 mm long and 12 mm wide, and filled with eggs approximately 0.18–0.20 mm in diameter.
A species of Oneirodes differing from all previously described species in escal morphology: the heavy black pigmentation of the escal appendages (especially well developed in the 36.5-mm paratype) is unique among species of Oneirodes. Most similar to O. kreffti, known from the South Atlantic, South Pacific, and Indian Ocean, it shares with the latter species a short anterior escal appendage and a pair of extremely large, branched medial escal appendages. However, the two species differ very distinctly in escal pigmentation and development of the lateral escal appendages.
All three known specimens were caught between 30 and 40°W in the northern part of the warm-water region of the North Atlantic in pelagic nets fished open in depths of about 800 m (paratype) and 1800 m (holotype). The 135-mm specimen (MCZ 162998) was collected with 4000 m of wire out.
Meso- to bathypelagic.
Pietsch TW. 2009. Oceanic Anglerfishes: Extraordinary Diversity in the Deep Sea. Berkley: University of California Press. 638 p.
As with most oneirodid taxa, males of the genus Oneirodes are free-living and presumed non-parasitic.
Known from three metamorphosed females (36.5–135 mm).
ANTON DOHRN station 345/79, Eastern North Atlantic, 35°24'N, 32°01'W, MT 1600, 0–1800 m, 29 April 1979.
Holotype of Oneirodes posti: ISH 3184/79, 112 mm.
