Tetragondacnus spilotus

Tetragondacnus spilotus is a rare and little-known marine fish of the family of the gut fish ( Carapidae ). The species was described based on a single specimen that was caught at a depth of about 500 meters off the coast of Sumatra (Indonesia) in 2005. Another was caught off the coast of Japan to Muroto 2009.

Features

Tetragondacnus spilotus differs from all other viscera fish by its squamation, all others are unbeschuppt, by the position of Dorsal approach before the beginning of the anal fin and the enlargement of the first spinous process to a wing-like outgrowth, which is greater than the second spinous process. Supraneuralia ( parts of the vertebrae) are missing. The Parapophyse ( projection on the bottom of vortices ) of the third vertebra is enlarged. A total of 13 Abdomenwirbel are available. The muzzle is square, the maxillary edentulous. Functional gill rakers are absent. The swim bladder is simple and great. A ossification of the anterior part of the swim bladder, as occurs in many other viscera Fishy, is not found. The caudal fin has eleven fin rays. On his body sides Tetragondacnus shows spilotus large dark spots.

Because of the many features that distinguish the species from other fish guts, they will put the Tetragondacninae in its own subfamily.