Teleostei (teleosts) >
Ophidiiformes (Cusk eels) >
Ophidiidae (Cusk-eels) > Neobythitinae
Etymology: Bassozetus: Latin, bassus = thick, fat + Greek, ketos = marine mosnter, whale (Ref. 45335).
More on authors: Smith & Radcliffe.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 1990 - 4970 m (Ref. 34024). Deep-water
Indian Ocean (Ref. 34024). Western Central Pacific: off New Caledonia and Philippines (Ref. 31524) and the Gulf of Tomini, Celebes, Indonesia (Ref. 26282).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 48.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 31524)
Dorsal soft rays (total): 122 - 128; Anal soft rays: 104 - 108; Vertebrae: 68 - 70. Snout inflated; eyes much smaller than snout; opercular spine weak or absent; preopercle without spines and posteriorly expanded almost reaching posterior margin of opercle; pseudobranchial filaments 2 (Ref. 34024).
Body shape (shape guide): eel-like.
Specimens were caught on or near the bottom from upper slope to abyssal depths (Ref. 84269). Uncommon species (Ref. 34024). Oviparous, with oval pelagic eggs floating in a gelatinous mass (Ref. 205).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Nielsen, J.G., D.M. Cohen, D.F. Markle and C.R. Robins, 1999. Ophidiiform fishes of the world (Order Ophidiiformes). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of pearlfishes, cusk-eels, brotulas and other ophidiiform fishes known to date. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(18):178p. Rome: FAO. (Ref. 34024)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
Tools
Special reports
Download XML
Internet sources