ABSTRACT
Neoceratiidae is monophletic in the WCNA: Neoceratias spinifer is the only species. The family possesses parasitic males. Adults have been captured in the Western North Atlantic, and have a worldwide distribution but larvae have not been observed (Pietsch 2003c). Post metamorphosis females observed to be 7.5 cm, males 1.9 cm (Pietsch 2003c). Larvae show no sexual dimorphism prior to metamorphosis. Unlike other Ceratioidei both male and female larvae have a cylindrical illicium rudiment that becomes pigmented with growth. It also is located uniquely for the Ceratioidei, on the tip of the snout at the tip of the jaw (Bertelsen 1984). Neoceratias do not possess the “luring apparatus” seen in other Ceratioidei. Neoceratias larvae are easily distin guishable from other ceratioids by the 1) slender body form, 2) the number of dorsal and anal rays (D 11-13, A 10-13), and 3) patterns of subdermal pigmentation, and 4) caudal rays 10 (unlike any other in Ceratioidei). (Bertelsen 1984). Dorsal and peritoneal pigment is absent in larval Neoceratias sp. Body dimensions do not change appreciably with growth. The skin never becomes greatly inflated as in other ceratioids. Specimens larger than 6 mm exhibit pigmentation on snout. Metamorphosis initiates before the larvae reach 25 mm.
