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Escal appendage pattern B; esca with a stout, internally pigmented anterior appendage, not longer than escal bulb, typically bearing a conical distal tip, with two or more tapering filaments near distal tip and usually several similar filaments along posterior margin; a pair of highly branched, tapering, unpigmented medial escal filaments, less than length of escal bulb in smaller specimens, to more than eight times length of escal bulb in larger specimens; in some specimens medial escal appendages bifurcating from base; a truncated terminal escal papilla with a distal streak of pigment; an unbranched, tapering posterior escal appendage, less than length of escal bulb to more than two times length of escal bulb, sometimes slightly expanded at distal tip; on each side, an unpigmented, tapering lateral escal appendage, unbranched, bifurcated or trifurcated, and considerably longer than medial filaments in larger specimens; anterolateral escal appendage absent; medial and lateral escal appendages laterally compressed in larger specimens.
Subopercle short, dorsal end rounded or tapering to a point, without indentation on posterodorsal margin; length of ventral fork of opercle 28.6–31.9% SL; ratio of lengths of dorsal and ventral forks of opercle 0.47–0.53.
Epibranchial teeth absent; teeth present on pharyngobranchial II; total of number of teeth in upper jaw 16–55, in lower jaw 24–50; number of teeth on vomer 4–8; dorsal-fin rays 5 or 6; anal-fin rays 4; pectoral-fin rays 16–18.
Measurements in percent of standard length: head length 38.6–64.3; head depth 43.9–50.5; premaxilla length 30.7–35.5; lower jaw length 45.5–52.3; illicial length 22.3–27.3.
A species of Oneirodes distinguished from all other members of the genus in escal morphology: a pair of highly branched medial escal appendages, in combination with an elongate cylindrical lateral escal appendage on each side. Oneirodes kreffti is most similar to O. anisacanthus. These two species are the only members of the genus that possess a well-developed lateral escal appendage. The esca of O. kreffti, however, bears a pair of stout, medial appendages that are absent in O. anisacanthus. In addition, O. kreffti appears to be a more globose form, having a deeper and longer head, and a longer lower jaw than O. anisacanthus.
The known material of Oneirodes kreffti has all been taken in southern latitudes of the Eastern South Atlantic, Indian, and Western Pacific oceans, between 0° and 180°E. The northernmost record is off Port Hedland, Western Australia, at about 18°S; the southernmost is on the Pacific side of the South Island, New Zealand, at about 45°S.
Mesopelagic, possibly bathydemersal. Nearly all specimens of O. kreffti have been taken in depths of less than 1000 m, many of them in bottom trawls.
Pietsch TW. 2009. Oceanic Anglerfishes: Extraordinary Diversity in the Deep Sea. Berkley: University of California Press. 638 p.
Although unknown, males of O. kreffti are certainly free living and non-parasitic, as is the case with most oneirodid taxa.
Known from 38 females, 37 metamorphosed (11–126 mm) and one in metamorphosis (8.5 mm).
South Atlantic, 30°04'S, 5°22'E, depth 0–500 meters.
Holotype: ISH 1536-1971.
