Christmas Viviparous Brotula

This species is distinguished by the following characters: vertebrae 11+32=43; dorsal fin rays 78; anal fin rays 67; head with narrow scale patch on cheeks with 3 rows on upper cheek and 2 rows on lower cheek; operculum scaleless; stubby snout profile; lower preopercular pore 1; otolith with undifferentiated, short sulcus, dorsal rim anteriorly expanded, posteriorly depressed, otolith length to otolith height 2.15, otolith length to sulcus length 2.3 (Ref. 88966).

Dorsal soft rays (total): 78; Analsoft rays: 67; Vertebrae: 43

Cryptic and solitary, inhabits reef crevices (Ref. 90102).