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Dorsal profile of frontals angular, but without spine; symphysial spine of lower jaw short; sphenotic, preopercular, and angular spines slender and sharp (as in other Linophryne of similar size); teeth in each premaxillary 11–13, arranged in 4 series; teeth in each dentary 8–11, arranged in 3 series; longest tooth in lower jaw 19% SL; a single pair of vomerine teeth in 29-mm paratype, vomer of other specimens with three irregularly spaced teeth; dorsal-fin rays 3; anal-fin rays 3; pectoral-fin rays 16 or 17.
Length of illicium 30.5–36% SL; escal bulb smooth, ovoid, with escal pore close to apex; bases of lateral escal filaments (retained in all specimens) arising in an acute angle from surface of bulb slightly above its greatest diameter; right lateral escal filament of holotype slender and untapering, length about one and half times diameter of escal bulb (about 16% SL), its distal tip split into 3 or 4 tiny threads, possibly representing remains of distal branching.
Length of hyoid barbel of holotype 60% SL, undivided part 26% SL, darkly pigmented except for distal part of branches; proximal branch simple, with a single terminal photophore; medial branch dividing to form a cluster of four distal filaments each with a series of 3–5 photophores; one of two distal pairs of branches simple, except for a tiny lateral branch at base of unpigmented part, bearing a series of 4 photophores; other distal pair of branches divided into three filaments each with 3 or 4 photophores; photophores unstalked, appearing as pearls on a string.
Subdermal pigmentation with numerous minute melanophores on caudal peduncle.
Metamorphosed females of Linophryne maderensis differ from those of all other species of the genus in having the following escal and hyoid barbel characters: a single unbranched filamentous lateral appendage emerging from each side of escal bulb; additional escal appendages and distal prolongation of escal bulb absent. Total length of barbel (retained only in holotype and 105-mm specimen) about 60% SL, with proximal half simple, gradually dividing distally into a proximal branch, a medial branch, and a pair of distal branches; each branch tapering to form a slender filament or subdividing into 2–4 distal filaments, each filament with 1–5 internal photophores. A distinct concentration of subdermal pigment on caudal peduncle.
All three known specimens of L. maderensis were collected from stomachs of Aphanopus carbo (family Trichiuridae) caught in a long-line fishery off Madeira.
Pietsch TW. 2009. Oceanic Anglerfishes: Extraordinary Diversity in the Deep Sea. Berkley: University of California Press. 638 p.
Parasitized females have a single attached male, in contrast to the linophrynid genera Haplophryne and Borophryne (and the ceratiid genera Ceratias and Cryptopsaras) in which females with two or more males are known. In all known cases parasitized females of the family, the male is directed forward with respect to the female and attached in nearly the same position on the ventral midline of the female, somewhat in front of and below the sinistral anus; with only one or two exceptions, all are attached upside down with respect to the female. This is again in contrast to the linophrynid genera Haplophryne and Photocorynus (and the ceratiid genus Cryptopsaras) in which males may attach in any direction and almost anywhere on the head and body of the female. In all known examples, the males are attached by both upper and lower jaws, leaving prominent openings on each side that lead into their mouths and opercular cavities; there is no papilla of tissue projecting from the female into the mouth of the male.
Known from four metamorphosed females at 29–105 mm SL and one parasitic male at 15 mm SL.
Off Madeira, from stomach of Aphanopus carbo, 10 August 1956.
Holotype of Linophryne maderensis: MMF 9094, 34 mm.
