Eucla Slickhead, Rouleina eucla Whitley, 1940

Scientific name: Rouleina eucla
Alternative name/s:
Baldfish, Sparkling Slickhead
Eucla Slickhead, Rouleina eucla Whitley, 1940 Click to enlarge image
A 45 cm long Eucla Slickhead trawled during the NORFANZ expedition at a depth between 1050m and 1320m, west of the Three Kings Islands, New Zealand, May 2003 (NMNZ P.38943). Specimens of this species were also retained for the Australian Museum collection (AMS I.42702-001). Image: Mark McGrouther
© NORFANZ Founding Parties

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Rouleina
    Species
    eucla
    Family
    Alepocephalidae
    Order
    Argentiniformes
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    The species grows to at least 26 cm in length.

Introduction

The Eucla Slickhead lacks scales with the exception of ring-like scales along the prominent lateral line. The type specimens were collected off Eucla, Westen Australia, hence the species name.

Rouleina eucla IA.1335
Rouleina eucla IA.1335 Type specimen Image: Mark Allen
© Australian Museum

Identification

The Eucla Slickhead has a moderately elongate body with a single dorsal fin positioned posteriorly. It lacks scales with the exception of ring-like scales along the prominent lateral line. The snout is short and the eyes are very large. There are photophoresscattered over the entire body. The species is coloured violet to black.

Habitat

The Eucla Slickhead occurs near the seabed in continental slope depths.

Distribution

The species is found in tropical and warm temperate waters of the Indo-west Pacific. In Australia is is known from off northern Queensland, around the eastern and southern coasts of the country to off southern Western Australia.

The type specimens were collected off Eucla, Westen Australia, hence the species name.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

References

  1. Glover, C.J.M. in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992. (as R. squamilatera).
  2. Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.
  3. Sazonov, Y.I. & D.F. Markle. Alepocephalidae. In Carpenter, K.E. & V.H. Niem (Eds). FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes. The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. Volume 3. Batoid fishes, chimaeras and bony fishes part 1 (Elopidae to Linophrynidae). FAO, Rome. Pp. iii-vi, 1398-2068.
  4. Sazonov, Y.I. & Williams, A. 2001. A review of the alepocephalid fishes (Argentiniformes, Alepocephalidae) from the continental slope of Australia: Part I. Journal of Ichthyology. 41(suppl. 1): 1-36.