Chaunax multilepis Ho, Meleppura & Bineesh, 2016
Indian spotted coffinfish

Family:  Chaunacidae (Sea toads o coffinfishes)
Max. size:  15.2 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; marine; depth range 200 - 350 m
Distribution:  Indian Ocean: Arabian Sea (SW India) and the Bay of Bengal, Andaman Sea.
Diagnosis:  This species is distinguished from its congeners in the Chaunax abei species-group by the following characters: possess a continuous tooth patch on vomer, not divided into two patches, and four or five neuromasts in the lower preopercular series; further distinguished by having large green spots on dorsal surface; simple spinules on dorsal surface; pectoral-fin rays 12; neuromasts in pectoral series 13-16; neuromasts in lateral-line proper 30-37; typically with four neuromasts on caudal-fin base and 7 neuromasts in mandible; usually with 12 gill rakers on second gill arch; gill chamber and buccal cavity are pale and the peritoneum black (Ref. 117887).
Biology: 
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 12 August 2019 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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