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Duckbill Whiptail Coelorinchus anatirostris Jordan & Gilbert, 1904.
[CAAB 37 232121]

Distribution Map see an interactive map here (new window)

Distribution, ecology and habitat:

Temperate Western Pacific Ocean, southern Japan to East China Sea and off Queensland; benthopelagic on the continental slope at 300-550 m.

Size:

To more than 43 cm TL.

Food and feeding:

Carnivorous, feeding on small crustaceans and polychaete worms.

Reproduction and early life history:

Characteristics:

D II 8-10; P i14-17; V 7; GR (inner) 5-8; BR 6; PC 21-30.
Trunk stout, snout moderately long, broad, sharply pointed, tipped with small, short scute, anterolateral margin completely supported by bone; head ridges strong, supraoccipital scute present; underside of head naked except for two small scale patches sometimes in larger specimens, dorsal surface fully scaled, nasal fossa mostly scaled ventrally. Jaw teeth in broad bands, none enlarged; chin barbel short, fine. Body scales coarse, covered with five to eight slightly divergent, ridge-like rows of sharp, narrowly lanceolate to triangular spinules, median row strongest. Anus slightly before anal-fin origin; light organ small, naked fossa extending from anus to about midpoint between anal-fin origin and pelvic-fin base.

Colour:

Overall greyish, no distinctive markings; mouth and; fins dusky to black.

Similar species:

Fisheries:

Caught as bycatch in commercial fisheries and marketed primarily as fishmeal.

Conservation Status:

Remarks:

Other common names:

Duckbill Grenadier.

Original citation:

Coelorhynchus anatirostris Jordan & Gilbert, 1904, Bull. U.S. Fish Comm. for 1902 22: 619, fig., Misaki, Japan.

Etymology:

References:

Iwamoto, T. 1990. Family Macrouridae, pp. 90-318 In Cohen, D. M., T. Inada, T. Iwamoto & N. Scialabba (eds.) FAO Species Catalogue. Gadiform fishes of the world (order Gadiformes). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of cods, hakes, grenadiers and other gadiforms fishes known to date. FAO Fisheries Synopsis No. 125, Rome: FAO Vol. 10, 442 pp.

Iwamoto, T. 1999. Order Gadiformes. In Carpenter, K.E. & V.H. Niem. Species identification guide for fisheries purposes. The living marine resources of the western central Pacific. Batoid fishes, chimeras and bony fishes part 1 (Elopidae to Linophrynidae). FAO, Rome.

Iwamoto, T. & Merrett,  N.R. 1997. Pisces Gadiformes; Taxonomy of Grenadiers of the New Caledonian region, southwest Pacific, pp. 473-570 In Crosnier, A (ed.), Résultats des Campagnes MUSORSTOM, Volume 18.  Mém. Mus. Natl. Hist. Nat., 176.