View data on Catalog of Fishes here.
Escal appendage pattern B; esca with a large cylindrical internally pigmented anterior appendage, its width nearly equal to that of illicium, its length, including terminal filaments, 22.4–31.4% SL; anterior escal appendage bearing distally a pair of compressed blade-like extensions and two elongate tapering filaments, each measuring approximately 9.2–14.3% SL; an unpaired highly filamentous medial escal appendage emerging from anterior margin of base of terminal escal papilla; an elongate posteriorly directed terminal papillae bearing a single distal streak of black pigment; a small cylindrical posterior escal appendage, without secondary filaments, its length considerably less than that of medial escal appendage; a highly branched anterolateral escal appendage arising from either side at base of anterior escal appendage, its longest filament about one-third as long as anterior escal appendage; lateral escal appendages absent; anterior escal appendage with distal tip of internal tube bearing a distinct translucent "eye-spot."
Subopercle without indentation on posterodorsal margin; length of ventral fork of opercle 27.6–31.4% SL; ratio of lengths of dorsal and ventral forks of opercle 0.45–0.47.
Epibranchial teeth absent; pharyngobranchial II well toothed; total number of teeth in upper jaw 27–34, in lower jaw teeth 34–42; number of teeth on vomer 6; dorsal-fin rays 5; anal-fin rays 4; pectoral-fin rays 16 or 17.
Measurements in percent of standard length: head length 41.4–48.6; head depth 44.0–51.4; head width 31.0–42.9; premaxilla length 34.4–36.6; lower jaw length 45.6–48.6; illicium length 16.4–27.1.
Oneirodes haplonema differs from all other described species of the genus in having the following combination of escal characters: a large internally pigmented anterior appendage, its width nearly equal to that of illicium, its length including terminal filaments greater than 22% SL; an unpaired, highly filamentous medial escal appendage arising from base of terminal escal papilla; a short cylindrical posterior escal appendage.
Oneirodes haplonema is known only from the Tasman Sea, the holotype from off Auckland, New Zealand waters, captured with gear fished open between the surface and 1132 m; and a second specimen from off Tasmania, between the surface and 960 m.
Probably mesopelagic.
Pietsch TW. 2009. Oceanic Anglerfishes: Extraordinary Diversity in the Deep Sea. Berkley: University of California Press. 638 p.
Although unknown, males of O. haplonema are certainly free living and non-parasitic, as is the case with most oneirodid taxa.
Known from only two metamorphosed females (35–116 mm).
Northern Challenger Plateau, 37°31.3'S, 169°31.9'E, 1132–1128 m, 23 February 1983.
Holotype of Oneirodes haplonema: NMNZ P-13409, 116 mm.
