Acanthonus armatus Dumb Ass-fish

Acanthonus armatus Dumb Ass-fish

I would be willing to do an MRI on this fish to confirm that it’s brain is small. The Ass-fish, Acanthonus armatus, is known for it’s small brain relative to its head size. It’s not clear where the name Ass-fish came from but it’s ugly appearance matches the name.

It’s part of the cusk-eel family. From Wiki:

The cusk-eel family (Ophidiidae) is a group of marine bony fishes in the order Ophidiiformes. The scientific name is from the Greek ophis meaning “snake”, and refers to their eel-like appearance. However, they can be distinguished from true eels of the order Anguilliformes by their ventral fins, which are developed into a forked barbel-like organ below the mouth in the cusk-eels; in the true eels by contrast they are never well-developed and usually missing entirely.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cusk-eels

While trying to learn more about cusk-eels, I learned that the deepest known living fish is another cusk-eel. Abyssobrotula galatheae was taken from a depth of 8,370 m (27,460 ft) in Puerto Rico.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abyssobrotula_galatheae

Which reminded me of a popular eel like fish that’s supposed to bring good luck in parts of Asia. The Silver Arowana is much better looking than the Ass-fish.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_arowana

The finding has been published here:

New Records of Seven Cusk-Eels (Ophidiidae) and Brotulas (Bythitidae) in Coastal Waters of British Columbia, Canada

Northwestern Naturalist 96(1):71-80. 2015

http://www.bioone.org/doi/10.1898/NWN14-17.1

Happy #ScienceSunday  

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/assfish-royal-bc-museum-display-1.3404806