ANIMAL SPECIES:Pacific Spookfish, Rhinochimaera pacifica (Mitsukuri, 1895)
The Pacific Spookfish is a very strange-looking, deepsea fish that has has a long, flexible snout.
Identification
The Pacific Spookfish has a long, flexible snout, small eyes and smooth tooth plates. It has two dorsal fins, the first is short-based and tall with a strong spine. The second is long-based and low. The species has a long caudal fin, the upper lobe of which has a row of fleshy tubercles.
It is brown above and grey-brown below. It has a white snout and black teeth.
Size range
The Pacific Spookfish grows to over 1.2 m in length (without the caudal filament).Distribution
The species is found in scattered localities in the Western Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Habitat
It is known from depths of 760 m to 1290 m.
Classification
- Species:
- pacifica
- Genus:
- Rhinochimaera
- Family:
- Rhinochimaeridae
- Order:
- Chimaeriformes
- Class:
- Chondrichthyes
- Subphylum:
- Vertebrata
- Phylum:
- Chordata
- Kingdom:
- Animalia
References
- Last, P.R. & J.D. Stevens. 1994 Sharks and Rays of Australia. CSIRO. Pp. 513.
- Last, P.R. & J.D. Stevens. 2009. Sharks and Rays of Australia.Second edition. CSIRO. Pp. 644
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Pacific Spookfish, Rhinochimaera pacifica View full size
Mark McGrouther
© NORFANZ Founding Parties
Juvenile Pacific Spookfish View full size
Mark McGrouther
© NORFANZ Founding Parties
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