Melamphaes shcherbachevi Kotlyar, 2015

Family:  Melamphaidae (Bigscale fishes or ridgeheads)
Max. size:  2 cm SL (female)
Environment:  bathypelagic; marine; depth range 0 - 1200 m
Distribution:  Western Indian Ocean: southern part of the Mozambique Channel near the sw coast of Madagascar Island.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 3-3; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15-15; Anal spines: 1-1; Anal soft rays: 8-8; Vertebrae: 27-27. This species is distinguished by the following characters: gill rakers on first gill arch 15; eye diameter equal to suborbital bone width; vertebrae 27 (12 abdominal vertebrae); haemal arm of first caudal vertebra no haemal spurs; D III,15, A I,8; V 7; ventral fin behind vertical line of posterior margin of pectoral fin basement; anal fin starts behind the vertical line of fourth ray of dorsal fin from its end (Ref. 117119).
Biology: 
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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