Eltanin handfish (Pezichthys eltanini)

Scientific name: Pezichthys eltanini Last & Gledhill, 2009

The Eltanin handfish (Pezichthys eltanini) is a marine fish of the family Brachionichthyidae. Native range: Eastern Indian Ocean, Australia.

Biology

This species is characterized by the combination of the following characters: very large esca, 54-82% of illicium length; short and stout illicium, with or without dermal spinules, its length 21-22% SL, 2.4-2.6 times in head length; head length 5.4-5.5 times snout length; snout length about 10% SL; eye diameter 6.1-7.0 times in head length; maximum width of body 31-39% SL; interorbital is broad, width 12-15% SL; scale bases stellate with short bicuspid spinules (except for those closely associated with pores of the acoustico-lateralis system); dorsal-fin elements and membranes with full or partial coverage of spiny scales; first dorsal-fin base long, length 25-30% SL; second dorsal-fin rays 15-16, fin base 62-63% SL; length of second dorsal-fin spine 0.9-1.5 times length of longest ray of second dorsal fin; 7-8 anal-fin rays; uniformly white body and fins.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Pezichthys eltanini
Family
Brachionichthyidae (Handfishes)
Order
Lophiiformes (Anglerfishes)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
3.6
Environment
Marine; demersal
Climate
Temperate
Distribution
Eastern Indian Ocean: Australia.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless

Sources

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

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