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Chaunax multilepis Ho, Meleppura & Bineesh, 2016 Indian spotted coffinfish |
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photo by
Bineesh, K K |
| Family: | Chaunacidae (Sea toads o coffinfishes) | |||
| Max. size: | 15.2 cm SL (male/unsexed) | |||
| Environment: | demersal; marine; depth range 200 - 350 m | |||
| Distribution: | Indian Ocean: Arabian Sea (SW India) and the Bay of Bengal, Andaman Sea. | |||
| Diagnosis: | This species is distinguished from its congeners in the Chaunax abei species-group by the following characters: possess a continuous tooth patch on vomer, not divided into two patches, and four or five neuromasts in the lower preopercular series; further distinguished by having large green spots on dorsal surface; simple spinules on dorsal surface; pectoral-fin rays 12; neuromasts in pectoral series 13-16; neuromasts in lateral-line proper 30-37; typically with four neuromasts on caudal-fin base and 7 neuromasts in mandible; usually with 12 gill rakers on second gill arch; gill chamber and buccal cavity are pale and the peritoneum black (Ref. 117887). | |||
| Biology: | ||||
| IUCN Red List Status: | Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 12 August 2019 Ref. (130435) | |||
| Threat to humans: | harmless | |||