Cockatoo Handfish (Pezichthys amplispinus)

Scientific name: Pezichthys amplispinus Last & Gledhill, 2009

The Cockatoo Handfish (Pezichthys amplispinus) is a marine fish of the family Brachionichthyidae. Native range: Southwest Pacific, Australia.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 17 - 18; Anal spines: 79. Member of the genus Pezichthys with a bold colour pattern, long dermal spinules, a humped nape and the posterior extension of the first dorsal-fin membrane is very short (i.e. interdorsal distance long). It also differs from its congeners in a combination of the following characters: esca small, 19?21% of illicium length; illicium very slender, without dermal spinules, its length 16?20% SL, 2.5?3.1 times in head length in adults; head length 4.9?6.2 times snout length; snout long, length 8?10% SL; eye 6.2?7.7 times in head length; body moderately robust, maximum width 30?38% SL; interorbital width 8?11% SL; scale bases subcircular with relatively long bifurcate spinules (except for those closely associated with pores of the acoustico-lateralis system); spinules variable in length over body; dorsal-fin elements with spinules, membranes of fins mostly naked; first dorsal-fin base length 18?20% SL; second dorsal-fin rays 15?16

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Pezichthys amplispinus
Family
Brachionichthyidae (Handfishes)
Order
Lophiiformes (Anglerfishes)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
4.6
Depth range
74–121 m (243–397 ft)
Environment
Marine; demersal; depth range 74 - 121 m
Climate
Temperate
Distribution
Southwest Pacific: Australia.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries:

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Last updated