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Escal appendage pattern B; esca with a stout, internally pigmented anterior appendage bearing distally numerous tapering filaments, some of which may be twice length of escal bulb and darkly pigmented distally; a pair of highly branched, unpigmented, tapering medial escal filaments, two to nearly five times length of escal bulb in large specimens (81 mm); a short, rounded terminal escal papilla with a distal spot of pigment in specimens 57 mm and larger; and an unpigmented, tapering posterior escal appendage, nearly twice length of escal bulb, and usually bearing one or two small, unpigmented filaments at one-half to one-third distance from distal tip; lateral and anterolateral escal appendages absent.
Subopercle with posterior margin of dorsal end usually indented to deeply notched; length of ventral fork of opercle 28.6–35% SL; ratio of lengths of dorsal and ventral forks of opercle 0.55–0.60.
Epibranchial teeth absent; teeth present on pharyngobranchial II; total number of teeth in upper jaw 23–39, in lower jaw 24–40; number of teeth on vomer 4–8; dorsal-fin rays 6 or 7; anal-fin rays 4; pectoral-fin rays 15–18.
Measurements in percent of standard length: head length 37.6–49.1; head depth 39.1–50.8; premaxilla length 29.1–38.6; lower jaw length 44.1–56.1; illicial length 23.1–38.6.0.
A species of Oneirodes distinguished from all other members of the genus in escal morphology. Oneirodes bulbosus is most similar to O. eschrichtii and O. anisacanthus. In addition to differences in escal morphology, the shape of the subopercle of most specimens of O. bulbosus differs from that of these forms and all other species of the genus with the exception of O. thompsoni. The posterior margin of the upper part of this bone is indented to deeply notched in all specimens of O. bulbosus examined except for the holotype. Oneirodes bulbosus differs further from O. anisacanthus in having slightly fewer teeth in the jaws.
Oneirodes bulbosus is known only from the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea. The range extends south to 44°N in the east and 49°N in the west. The holotype was taken at 53°50'N, 133°54'W.
Although little is known about the relative fishing effort at various depths in the North Pacific, O. bulbosus, based on maximum depths reached by gear, appears to inhabit relatively shallow depths, the bulk of the population concentrated between 600 and 850 m, with perhaps a second peak below approximately 950 m.
Mesopelagic.
Pietsch TW. 2009. Oceanic Anglerfishes: Extraordinary Diversity in the Deep Sea. Berkley: University of California Press. 638 p.
Although unknown, males of O. bulbosus are certainly free living and non-parasitic, as is the case with most oneirodid taxa.
Known from 115 metamorphosed females (30–160 mm).
International Fisheries Commission station 1109C, British Columbia, off Graham (or Frederick) Island 53°50'N, 133°54'W, 900 m wire out, 11 March 1934.
Holotype of Oneirodes bulbosus: USNM 108149, 57 mm.
