Monomitopus is a genus of cusk-eels. They are oviparous.
Life cycle Analysis of stable oxygen isotope composition of otoliths has shown that Monomitopus pallidus and Monomitopus kumae undergo an ontogenetic habitat shift, spending their early life pelagically in shallower waters, before descending to the deep-sea floor where they stay for rest of their lives. The larvae of these species have been reported to coil tightly and drift in the pelagic until settlement. A subset of species have been found to have a bilaterally paired hole or fenestra in the skull.
Species There are currently 14 recognized species in this genus: Monomitopus ainonaka M. Girard, Carter & Johnson, 2023 Monomitopus agassizii (Goode & T. H. Bean, 1896) Monomitopus conjugator (Alcock, 1896) Monomitopus garmani (H. M. Smith & Radcliffe, 1913) Monomitopus kumae D. S. Jordan & C. L. Hubbs, 1925 Monomitopus longiceps H. M. Smith & Radcliffe, 1913 Monomitopus magnus H. J. Carter & Cohen, 1985 Monomitopus malispinosus (Garman, 1899) Monomitopus metriostoma (Vaillant, 1888) Monomitopus microlepis H. M. Smith & Radcliffe, 1913 Monomitopus nigripinnis (Alcock, 1889) Monomitopus pallidus H. M. Smith & Radcliffe, 1913 Monomitopus torvus Garman, 1899 Monomitopus vitiazi (J. G. Nielsen, 1971) (Spearcheek cusk) Synonyms Monomitopus americanus J. G. Nielsen, 1971 was recently reclassified as Selachophidium americanum.
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