Robust Cusk Eel

This species is distinguished by the following characters: presence of rudimentary rakers alternating with developed rakers on the lower gill arch (also only for Lepophidium aporrhox); total number of gill raker elements greater than its congeners except L. aporrhox. This species is distinguished from L. apporhox by having 14 precaudal vertebrae (vs. 12-13); 54-56 caudal vertebrae (vs. 49-53); 68-70 total vertebrae (vs. 61-66); 123-126 dorsal rays (vs. 106-115), and 102-107 anal rays (vs. 92-100), and by having a long pelvic ray length as a percentage of standard length (9-10% vs. 13-18% (Ref. 91765).

Dorsal soft rays (total): 123 - 126; Analsoft rays: 102 - 107; Vertebrae: 68 - 71