Lycodonus is a genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the familyZoarcidae, the eelpouts. The species in this genus are found in the North and Southern Atlantic Ocean.[1] These fishes are sometimes called scutepouts.[2]
Lycodonus is made up of the genus name Lycodes, as these fishes bear a strong resemblance to the fishes in that genus, and adds a meaningless suffix, onus.[6]
Lycodonus eelpouts have between 7 and 9 suborbital bones with a sensory canal between 6 and 8 pores. The pterygiophores in both the dorsal and anal fins have widened upper areas which form scutes at the base of these fins. They possess a pseudobranch, pyloric caeca, pelvic fins, lateral line and teeth on both the vomerine and palatine.[7] The smallest species is L. malvinensis with a maximum published total length of 19.6 cm (7.7 in) while the largest is L. mirabilis which has a maximum published total length of 30.2 cm (11.9 in).[1]
Lycodonus eelpouys are found in the Atlantic Ocean. The whiptail scutepout (L. flagellicauda) is found in the northeastern Atlantic and nearby Arctic Ocean while the chevron scutepout (L. mirabilis) is found in the northwestern Atlantic and adjacent Arctic Ocean. There are also 2 species in the South Atlantic, L. malvinensis in the southwestern Atlantic and L. vermiformis in the southeastern Atlantic,[1] with the only known specimens being collected off Cape Point in South Africa.[8] These fishes are bathydemersal being found at great depths, in subzero temperatures on muddy substrates.[2]
