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Lophiiformes (Anglerfishes) >
Oneirodidae (Dreamers)
Etymology: Dolopichthys: Greek, 'dolops' or 'dolopos' = ambusher + Greek, 'ichthys' = fish (meaning "a fish that attacks by surprise") (Ref. 86949).
More on authors: Regan & Trewavas.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathypelagic; depth range 690 - 1353 m (Ref. 86949). Deep-water
Tropical to temperate parts of all oceans.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 8.9 cm SL (female)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal soft rays (total): 7 - 8; Anal soft rays: 6. Characterized by having escal bulb with two short distally bifurcating papillae on anterior midline, each devoid of pigment and lying very close together; absence of bilaterally placed papillae on dorsal surface of escal bulb; compressed posterior appendage less than length of escal bulb in specimens 33 mm and smaller, more than three times length of escal bulb in 89 mm specimen; unpigmented swollen basal part of posterior appendage in specimens 33mm and smaller, lightly pigmented in 89 mm specimen; absence of connecting membrane between anterior and posterior filaments of posterior escal appendage in specimens 19.5 mm and larger (Ref. 86949).
Also mesopelagic (Ref. 10524).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Bertelsen, E., 1990. Oneirodidae. p. 498-507. In J.C. Quero, J.C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post, and L. Saldanha (eds.) Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA). JNICT, Lisbon; SEI, Paris; and UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 1. (Ref. 10524)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
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