Bellottia apoda Giglioli, 1883
Bellottia apoda
photo by Stergiou, K.I. / Scott, P.J.B.

Family:  Bythitidae (Livebearing brotulas)
Max. size:  6.5 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  bathydemersal; marine; depth range 30 - 569 m
Distribution:  Mediterranean Sea and subtropical Eastern Atlantic: Greece, Adriatic Sea, Tyrrhenian Sea, south Portugal and off Madeira (Ref. 4758, Ref. 13359). Also one specimen from 29°50.2'N, 28°29.8'W (Ref. 4758). Subtropical western Atlantic specimens may be this species (Ref. 34024).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 81-96; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 64-76. Mouth is large, with strong jaws; six caudal rays (Ref. 13359). Swim-bladder present; pelvic fins absent; several sharp spines present at lower angle of opercle; precaudal vertebrae 10 to 12; caudal fin broadly joined to dorsal and anal fins; male intromittent organ lacking ossified parts; females have genital pores (Ref. 34024).
Biology:  Depth range from 30-500 m (Ref. 6526) and from 460-569 m in the eastern Ionian Sea (Ref. 56504). The food of Bellottia apoda appears to be a mixture of planktonic and benthic preys (Ref. 13359). Viviparous (Ref. 6526). Uncommon species (Ref. 34024), but it is not so rare as it seemed in the Adriatic Sea (Ref. 13359).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 09 January 2018 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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