Hardhead Snailfish

This species is characterized by the following; with frontal, sphenotic, and operc1e enlarged and heavily ossified, its body is otherwise soft, naked, and smooth; large pelvic disk, its longitudinal diameter 43.9% head length (HL); low dorsal- and anal-fin ray counts low: D VII, 28; A 28; pectoral-fin rays 29; principal caudal-fin rays 13; the anterior 6 weakly punctate dorsal-fin rays form a small lobe; short gill opening, extending from above pectoral fin to pectoral-fin ray 2; no pseudobranch; teeth strongly trilobed; nostrils single; cephalic lateralis pores 2-6-7-2; no subcutaneous gelatinous layer; body pale yellow in alcohol; no pigments on orobranchial cavity, peritoneum, stomach, intestines, and pyloric caeca (Ref. 57785).

Dorsal spines (total): 7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 35; Analsoft rays: 28; Vertebrae: 40

Apparently occurs over coarse bottom with hard patches, over-grown with sponges; with bottom temperature of 4.2°C (Ref. 57785).

Apparently occurs over coarse bottom with hard patches, over-grown with sponges; with bottom temperature of 4.2°C (Ref. 57785).

The hardhead snailfish (Lopholiparis flerxi) is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Liparidae, the snailfishes. This species is found in the northern Pacific Ocean where a single specimen (the holotype) was collected in June 2000 from near the Aleutian Islands at a depth of 285 m (935 ft). The length of the fish was 3.3 cm (1.3 in) SL. This species is the only member of the monospecific genus Lopholiparis. The specific name honors the collector of the holotype, William C. Flerx of the National Marine Fisheries Service.