Coral Brotula

Description: Characterized by yellow to reddish color; eye 2.2-3.3% SL; depth of body at anal fin origin 16.3-21.4 (mean 19.3)% SL; anterior nostril high on snout, about half distance from lip to anterior rim of eye; two pairs of small pseudoclaspers; outer, broad based; inner with two lobes; presence of preopercular pore; small embedded scales on cheeks, opercle and occiput covers head; snout tip with cirri (Ref. 90102).

Ovoviviparous. Sexes can be readily distinguished by the male's intromittent organ and the female's genital pore (Ref. 240, 205). On the basis of this morphology, copulation may involve flexion of the male's body and pumping of sperm into the female (Ref. 240). Embryos are retained in the ovaries until about 6 mm long, deriving nourishment from large yolk sacs, making the species ovoviviparous rather than viviparous (Ref. 240).

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 75 - 88; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 59 - 69; Vertebrae: 41 - 45

Rare species (Ref. 34024). An indweller of deep interstices of lagoon and seaward reefs to a depth of at least 30 m (Ref. 1602).

Rare species (Ref. 34024) notable for its strict association with true reef environments and particularly so with outer reefs and reef cores (Ref. 81230). An indweller of deep interstices of lagoon and seaward reefs to a depth of at least 30 m (Ref. 1602). Ovoviviparous (Ref. 240). Solitary inhabitant of shallow water, cryptic (Ref 90102).

主要分布於印度太平洋從東非，紅海至中太平洋馬紹爾群島海域，臺灣主要分布於南部海域。

小型魚類，不具食用價值。

體圓而延長，近尾部處則是逐漸側扁。吻端圓鈍。前鼻孔位置較高，約在眼前緣和上唇中間的位置。眼大，眼徑約有標準體長的2.2-3.3%。體被小圓鱗，頭部位於眼後被有鱗片。雄性具兩對偽交接器，外部基底寬大，內部則細小且具兩片葉狀構造。背鰭和臀鰭非常的長，後部軟條與尾鰭相連。背鰭鰭條數75-92，臀鰭鰭條數 59-71；腹鰭位於前鰓蓋下方，已經退化成2條延長絲狀鰭；胸鰭鰭條數21-24。尾前脊椎骨10-12根，尾部脊椎骨30-34根，總脊椎骨共計41-45根椎體。體黃色至淡紅色。

主要為棲息於珊瑚礁以及岩礁區淺水域的魚種，生態習性不明。

An indweller of deep interstices of lagoon and seaward reefs to a depth of at least 30 m (Ref. 1602).