Coelorinchus matamua (McCann & McKnight, 1980)
Mahia whiptail
photo by CSIRO

Family:  Macrouridae (Grenadiers or rattails)
Max. size:  65 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  bathydemersal; marine; depth range 450 - 1000 m, non-migratory
Distribution:  Southeast Atlantic: South Africa. Western Pacific: southeastern Australia including Tasmania, also in New Zealand.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 2-2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 134-135; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 110. Head large; the eyes also large; the snout blunt, its anterolateral margin incompletely supported by bone. Head ridges with modified thickened scales but not specially spiny; the suborbital ridge well defined. The underside of the head entirely scaled except for the lips and the gill membranes. Light organ a small globular gland adjacent to the anus, not visible externally. Gray to grayish pink, with a conspicuous dark blue band around the abdominal area; the fins and gill membranes blackish (Ref. 1371).
Biology:  Feeds on fishes (myctophids), and crabs, among other items (Ref. 1371).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.