Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) >
Perciformes (Perch-likes) >
Microdesmidae (Wormfishes) > Ptereleotrinae
Etymology: Ptereleotris: Greek, pteron = wing, fin + The name of a Nile fish, eleotris (Ref. 45335); randalli: Named for John E. Randall.
Environment / Climate / Range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 8 - 60 m (Ref. 84213). Tropical, preferred ?
Southwest Atlantic: endemic to Brazil.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 8.7 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 84213); 4.9 cm SL (female)
Short description
Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal
spines
(total): 7;
Dorsal
soft rays
(total): 22-24;
Anal
spines: 1;
Anal
soft rays: 21 - 23. This species is distinguished from its Atlantic congeners by having the following characters: dorsal and anal fins with bright orange-yellow submarginal bands; second dorsal and anal fins comparatively low, slightly elevated anteriorly; short caudal fin, 5ht and 6th rays prolonged as filaments; short pelvic fins, about the same length as pectorals (Ref. 84213).
Used in the aquarium trade under the name Opistognathus leitoso. The population is declining fast in some areas of the Brazilian coast (mainly off the States of Espirito Santo and Bahia) due to commercial exploration of the calcareous algae banks. This species hovers over its burrow feeding on plankton and dives headfirst in to the burrow when threatened. Found usually over sandy bottom close to reefs, but also common over sand patches as small as 10 cm in diameter, enclosed by rocky areas or in calcareous algae (Lithothamnion sp.) banks (Ref. 84213).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Gasparini, J.L., L.A. Rocha and S.R. Floeter, 2001. Ptereleotris randalli n. sp., a new dartfish (Gobioidei: Microdesmidae) from the Brazilian coast. Aqua. J. Ichthyol. Aquat. Biol. 4(3):109-114. (Ref. 84213)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)
CITES (Ref. 94142)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Aquarium: commercial
More information
Common namesSynonymsMetabolismPredatorsEcotoxicologyReproductionMaturitySpawningFecundityEggsEgg development
Age/SizeGrowthLength-weightLength-lengthLength-frequenciesMorphometricsMorphologyLarvaeLarval dynamicsRecruitmentAbundance
ReferencesAquacultureAquaculture profileStrainsGeneticsAllele frequenciesHeritabilityDiseasesProcessingMass conversion
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