Cohen's Whiptail, Nezumia coheni Iwamoto & Merrett, 1997
Cohen's Rattail
Click to enlarge image
© Ken Graham/DPI Fisheries
Fast Facts
-
Classification
- Genus
- Nezumia
- Species
- cohen
- Family
- Macrouridae
- Order
- Gadiformes
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Subphylum
- Vertebrata
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Kingdom
- Animalia
-
- Size Range
- The species grows to at least 40 cm in length.
Introduction
Cohen's Whiptail is found in Australia, New Caledonia and the Kermadec Islands. It has a light-producing organ on the belly.
Identification
Cohen's Whiptail has a tall, short-based dorsal fin, a long, low anal fin and a long tapering tail that lacks a caudal fin. It has a pointed snout, a small barbel on the tip of the lower jaw, and scales that are covered with rows of small spines.
There is a light-producing organ in the body wall that is visible externally as a black, scaleless area (a dermal window) between the bases of the pelvic fins.
Habitat
It has been caught in trawls at depths between 170 m and 1032 m.
Distribution
Cohen's Whiptail is recorded from Australia, New Caledonia and the Kermadec Islands. In Australia it is known from marine waters of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.
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
- Iwamoto, T. & K.J. Graham. 2001. Grenadiers (Families Bathygadidae and Macrouridae, Gadiformes, Pisces) of New South Wales, Australia. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences. 52 (21): 407-509.
