Cyttopsis
Diagnosis: body deep, strongly compressed; head deep, serrations present on bony ridge above eye; mouth large and very protractile, with small granular teeth in jaws. Pectoral fins short, pelvic fins at least twice as long, with 9-10 finrays (first not spinous), dorsal fin with VII-VIII + 26-30 finrays, the tips of the spinous finrays without long filaments; anal fin with I-II + 27-30 finrays. Body covered with small, cycloid, deciduous scales; scutes present on belly, the larger ones bearing spines; a row of low bony ridges or lumps along bases of soft dorsal and anal fins. Colour: back and belly deep pink or red, flanks silvery; pelvic fins black with white or pale finrays, other fins tinged pink or hyaline. Size: to 30 cm SL.
Habitat: deep midwater or near the bottom, at 250-600 m (mainly 400-600 m), schooling. Food: other fishes and swimming decapod crustaceans. Reproduction: in spring (tropical waters of eastern Atlantic).
Distribution: southward from north-western Spain to Morocco. Elsewhere, common from Morocco to Cape Blanc, south to southern Africa, also western Atlantic, India and Japan.
Species 2; in Clofnam area 1.
Recent revision: Heemstra (1980—southern Africa).
Species of this genus in the program:
Cyttopsis roseus