Gelatinous Blindfish, Aphyonus gelatinosus Günther, 1878

Scientific name: Aphyonus gelatinosus
Gelatinous Blindfish, Aphyonus gelatinosus Click to enlarge image
A Gelatinous Blindfish trawled during the NORFANZ expedition at a depth between the surface and 1934m, south-east of Ball's Pyramid, Tasman Sea, May 2003 (CSIRO H6003-01). Image: Kerryn Parkinson
© NORFANZ Founding Parties

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Aphyonus
    Species
    gelatinosus
    Family
    Aphyonidae
    Order
    Ophidiiformes
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    The species grows to 15 cm in length.

Introduction

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

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.

Habitat

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

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.

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

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.