Animal Species:Gelatinous Blindfish, Aphyonus gelatinosus Günther, 1878

The Gelatinous Blindfish lives in very deep marine waters. It has a white jelly-like body and tiny eyes.

Gelatinous Blindfish caught during the NORFANZ expedition

Gelatinous Blindfish caught during the NORFANZ expedition
Kerryn Parkinson © NORFANZ Founding Parties

Identification

The Gelatinous Blindfish has a white jelly-like body. The dorsal and anal fins are continuous with the caudal fin. Like all aphyonids, the Gelatinous Blindfish has tiny eyes. It lacks scales, swim bladder and pyloric caecae.

Size range

The species grows to 15 cm in length.

Distribution

The Gelatinous Blindfish occurs in most tropical and subtropical regions of oceans. In Australia it is known from off northern Queensland to off central New South Wales.

Distribution by collection data

Biomaps map of Gelatinous Blindfish specimens in the Australian Museum collection.

What does this mean?

Habitat

The Gelatinous Blindfish is a benthic species that occurs at depths from 900 m to over 5000 m.

Classification

Species:
gelatinosus
Genus:
Aphyonus
Family:
Aphyonidae
Order:
Ophidiiformes
Class:
Actinopterygii
Subphylum:
Vertebrata
Phylum:
Chordata
Kingdom:
Animalia

What does this mean?

References

  1. Nielsen, J.G. 1969. Systematics and biology of the Aphyonidae (Pisces, Ophidioidea). Galathea Report. 10: 7-90, Pls. 1-4.
  2. Nielsen, J.G., Cohen, D.M., Markle, D.F. & Robins, C.R. 1999. Ophidiiform fishes of the World. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of pearlfishes, cusk-eels, brotulas and other ophidiiform species known to date. FAO Fish. Synop., (125), Vol. 18 pp. 1-178.


Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated:

Tags Fishes, Ichthyology, Gelatinous Blindfish, Aphyonus gelatinosus, Aphyonidae, NORFANZ,