Bighead Viviparous Brotula

This species is distinguished by the following characters: ; D 72-81; A 57-64; small eyes (1.3-2.5%SL); blunt snout, no cirri; cheeks with scales and 3-10 scales above opercular spine; with upper preopercular pore; outer pseudoclasper broad-based, simple flap like, while the inner one with free, forward-pointing anterior lobe and broad posterior lobe; otolith length to height 1.9-2.0, with rounded dorsal rim; otolith length to sulcus length 1.7-1.8, very short caudal, ostium length to cauda length 4.5-5.0 (Ref. 81230).

Dorsal soft rays (total): 72 - 81; Analsoft rays: 57 - 64; Vertebrae: 41 - 43

Cryptic, solitary inhabitant of shallow water, usually in rocky crevices (Ref. 90102). A 5.6 cm SL gravid female (USNM 394976) with 95 embryos, 0.41 cm TL in length, and approximately 50 orange eggs, 0.06 cm in diameter (Ref. 81230).