Surgeon grenadier (Coelorinchus acanthiger)

Scientific name: Coelorinchus acanthiger Barnard, 1925

The Surgeon grenadier (Coelorinchus acanthiger) is a marine fish of the family Macrouridae.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 92-93; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 90. The head is relatively large; the eyes also large. The snout is conical; the mouth is small and inferior. The body tapers from behind the head; caudal fin absent. Brownish overall, darker over gill covers, gill membranes and fins; mouth and gill cavities darker.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Coelorinchus acanthiger
Family: Macrouridae (Grenadiers or rattails)
Order: Gadiformes (Cods)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 50.0
Depth range: 800–1500 m (2625–4921 ft)
Environment: Marine; bathydemersal; non-migratory; depth range 800 - 1500 m
Climate: Deep-water
Distribution: Southeast Atlantic: Walvis Ridge, Discovery Seamount, off Namibia and South Africa. Western Indian Ocean: Mozambique Plateau and Mascarene Ridge. Southwest Pacific: New Zealand. Also from Australia.
Conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Fisheries: of no interest
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Sources

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

Last updated 27 September 2026