Hoplostethus robustispinus Moore & Dodd, 2010
Thickspine roughy
photo by Moore, J.

Family:  Trachichthyidae (Slimeheads)
Max. size:  35.4 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; marine; depth range - 660 m
Distribution:  Northwestern Pacific: Philippines (east of Calagua Islands) and Japan.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 6-6; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14-14; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 9-9; Vertebrae: 27-27. Hoplostethus robustispinus has extremely thickened fin spines, 56 digitiform pyloric caeca, a bright red body, fins with no black pigment in any fin membranes, no silvery flanks, a long trunk (VA distance is greater than almost all other species) and eyes more dorsally placed, with the upper margin dorsal to preopercular ridges and level with the post-temporal spine (Ref. 84133).
Biology: 
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 31 December 2019 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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