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🌊 Marine Least Concern 🌡️ Subtropical

Pink wormfish

Microdesmus longipinnis Weymouth, 1910
Max Length
27 cm
Max Weight
-
Lifespan
-
Trophic Level
3.9
Depth
5–10 m
Climate
Subtropical
Resilience
-
Vulnerability
14.00/100
Typical Length
-
Depth Zone
demersal

📖 Overview

Known from muddy littoral and estuarine habitats . Burrows in shallow muddy and sandy bottoms . Postlarvae and early juveniles (to ca 2-2.5 cm SL) may occur in surface plankton to distances of 15 km or more offshore; subadults and adults occasionally found swimming near the surface at night .

Scientific Name
Microdesmus longipinnis
Authority
Weymouth, 1910
Habitat
Marine
Climate
Subtropical
IUCN Status
LC
Max Length
27 cm
Depth Range
5–10 m
Trophic Level
3.9
Vulnerability
14.00/100
Salinity
30–40 ppt

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 19 - 23. Diagnosis: 62-80 (usually 66-75) total dorsal fin rays, including 19-23 spines; 36-52 (usually 40-47) total anal fin rays; anal fin usually originating between verticals from dorsal fin elements 25-31; caudal fin rounded . Coloration: (based on description of juvenile pigmentation, by Smith&Thacker 2000): body tan, with melanophores scattered over flanks and dorsum, forming a stripe on dorsum and a thinner stripe on flanks; mottled pigmentation on head .: eel-like.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Pink wormfish is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

aquatic invertebrates
small fish
algae
detritus

🥚 Reproduction

🐣 Oviparous 📦 Batch Spawner
Spawning Season
spring-summer
Spawn Location
Pelagic
Fertilization
External

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; demersal; depth range 5 - 10 m . Subtropical; 37°N - 8°N, 98°W - 60°W North Carolina (USA), and northern Gulf of Mexico to the Cayman Islands.

🌿 Ecology

Zone Preferences
🌊 Marine ⬇️ Benthic
Trophic Level
3.9±0.5

📐 Morphometrics

Length–Weight Relationship: W = 0.00102 × L3.06 (TL)
Max TL
27cm
Dorsal Spines
21

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

Salinity Range
30–40ppt

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

IUCN Category
Least Concern
Assessment Date
2014

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

Fishing Vulnerability
14.00/100
Low vulnerability
Trophic Level
3.9
Predator
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Described By
Weymouth, 1910

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

Scientific Synonyms

Scientific Name Author Year Status
Leptocerdale longipinnis Weymouth 1910 Synonym
Microdesmus woodsi Kanazawa 1952 Synonym

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 49 records indexed .

Occurrence density from GBIF View GBIF records ↗

👥 Community & Contribute

Aquareap Community Observations
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