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''Brotula barbata'', commonly known as the bearded brotula, Atlantic bearded brotula, or sugarfish, is a species of cusk-eel in the genus '' Brotula''. It lives in the Atlantic Ocean, in depths of up to 300 meters. Its coloring ranges from olive-brown to red-brown, and it grows up to be around 50 centimeters. It has a carnivorous diet, and it is oviparous.
''Brotula barbata'' most commonly grows up to 50 centimeters long, but has been known to grow up to nearly 100 cm. The highest published weight of a specimen was 8.5 kilograms. The front of its body is somewhat deep, tapering to its rear. Its scales are smooth and relatively small, and cover its entire body. It contains 12 barbels: six on its snout and six on its chin. It has a pointed caudal fin (tail fin).
''Brotula barbata'' will sometimes have spots or freckles. It usually is brownish in color overall, with some individuals being closer to olive and others closer to red.
On ITIS
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1861182 Ophidiidae Fish described in 1801 Fish of the Atlantic Ocean
Description
''Brotula barbata'' most commonly grows up to 50 centimeters long, but has been known to grow up to nearly 100 cm. The highest published weight of a specimen was 8.5 kilograms. The front of its body is somewhat deep, tapering to its rear. Its scales are smooth and relatively small, and cover its entire body. It contains 12 barbels: six on its snout and six on its chin. It has a pointed caudal fin (tail fin).
''Brotula barbata'' will sometimes have spots or freckles. It usually is brownish in color overall, with some individuals being closer to olive and others closer to red.
Ecology and biology
''Brotula barbata'' is carnivorous. It mostly feeds on bony fishes and crustaceans that live in shallow waters, including crabs andshrimp
Shrimp are crustaceans (a form of shellfish) with elongated bodies and a primarily swimming mode of locomotion – most commonly Caridea and Dendrobranchiata of the decapod order, although some crustaceans outside of this order are refer ...
. It exhibits oviparity
Oviparous animals are animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive method of most fish, amphibians, most reptiles, and all pterosaurs, dinosaurs (including birds), and m ...
, and lays a large amount of eggs at a time, which are gelatin
Gelatin or gelatine (from la, gelatus meaning "stiff" or "frozen") is a translucent, colorless, flavorless food ingredient, commonly derived from collagen taken from animal body parts. It is brittle when dry and rubbery when moist. It may also ...
-like in consistency. The species's larvae are pelagic.
''Brotula barbata'' is exclusive to marine environments. It can live up to a depth of 650 meters, but it most commonly occurs in depths from 50 – 300 m. Adults are benthopelagic, mostly inhabiting the sandy and muddy ocean floor. Juveniles usually inhabit shallow coral reefs instead.
Distribution and conservation
''Brotula barbata'' lives in various areas of the Atlantic Ocean, in tropical and sub-tropical climates. Specifically, it occurs on the east coast of North and South America, from North Carolina down to Brazil, as well as on the west coast of Africa, fromMauritania
Mauritania (; ar, موريتانيا, ', french: Mauritanie; Berber: ''Agawej'' or ''Cengit''; Pulaar: ''Moritani''; Wolof: ''Gànnaar''; Soninke:), officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania ( ar, الجمهورية الإسلامية ...
to Angola. It is a common species throughout its range. Although it is sometimes a bycatch in fisheries
Fishery can mean either the enterprise of raising or harvesting fish and other aquatic life; or more commonly, the site where such enterprise takes place ( a.k.a. fishing ground). Commercial fisheries include wild fisheries and fish farms, both ...
, there are no major threats to the species, and it is therefore listed as "Least Concern" by IUCN.
References
External links
On ITIS
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1861182 Ophidiidae Fish described in 1801 Fish of the Atlantic Ocean