Image Gallery: Fish Fieldwork - NORFANZ, May - June 2003

For four weeks during May and June 2003, Australian Museum staff members Mark McGrouther, John Paxton and Kerryn Parkinson participated in the joint New Zealand and Australia Norfolk Ridge - Lord Howe Rise Biodiversity Voyage (NORFANZ).

Over 20 scientists from Australia, New Zealand, France and the USA worked together to survey the fish and marine invertebrate faunas of seamounts along the two major submarine mountain ranges in the Tasman Sea.

Over 150 trawls were made at depths down to 2000 m to collect specimens from these poorly known areas. A large number of new species were collected, but without question the most famous find was 'Mr Blobby'.

Blobfish, Psychrolutes (aka Mr Blobby) Blobfish, Psychrolutes (aka Mr Blobby)
Deepsea Lizardfish, Bathysaurus ferox Deepsea Lizardfish, Bathysaurus ferox
Mouth of a Deepsea Lizardfish Mouth of a Deepsea Lizardfish
A 109 mm standard length Fangtooth A 109 mm standard length Fangtooth
Pacific Spookfish, Rhinochimaera pacifica Pacific Spookfish, Rhinochimaera pacifica
Juvenile Pacific Spookfish Juvenile Pacific Spookfish
Pelican Eel, Eurypharynx pelecanoides Pelican Eel, Eurypharynx pelecanoides
Snipe Eel Avocettina sp. Snipe Eel Avocettina sp.
Slender Snipe Eel, Nemichthys scolopaceus Slender Snipe Eel, Nemichthys scolopaceus
A Humpback Blackdevil with mouth extended A Humpback Blackdevil with mouth extended
Ingolf Duckbill Eel, Nessorhamphus ingolfianus Ingolf Duckbill Eel, Nessorhamphus ingolfianus
Snubnose Eel, Simenchelys parasitica Snubnose Eel, Simenchelys parasitica
Allied Halosaur, Aldrovandia affinis Allied Halosaur, Aldrovandia affinis
Shortsnout Lancetfish, Alepisaurus brevirostris Shortsnout Lancetfish, Alepisaurus brevirostris
Fanfin Angler, Caulophryne jordani Fanfin Angler, Caulophryne jordani
Female Soft Leftvent Angler, Haplophryne mollis Female Soft Leftvent Angler, Haplophryne mollis
A Longhead Dreamer, Chaenophryne longiceps A Longhead Dreamer, Chaenophryne longiceps
A 5 cm standard length Triplewart Seadevil. A 5 cm standard length Triplewart Seadevil.
A 25 cm long Sloane's Viperfish A 25 cm long Sloane's Viperfish
Gelatinous Blindfish caught during the NORFANZ expedition Gelatinous Blindfish caught during the NORFANZ expedition