Animal Species:Southern Spineback, Notacanthus sexspinis Richardson, 1846

The Southern Spineback has an eel-like body. In Australia it is known from off the central New South Wales coast and around the south of the country to south-western Western Australia.

Southern Spineback, Notacanthus sexspinis

Southern Spineback, Notacanthus sexspinis
Robin McPhee © NORFANZ Founding Parties

Alternative Name/s

Spineback, Spiny Eel

Identification

The Southern Spineback has an eel-like body. It has a single dorsal fin with six to eight short spines and a long-based anal fin that reaches the tip of the tail.

Size range

The species grows to 60 cm in length.

Distribution

In Australia it is known from off the central New South Wales coast and around the south of the country to south-western Western Australia.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information.  Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

Notacanthus sexspinis

Distribution by collection data

Ozcam map of Southern Spineback specimens in the Australian Museums.

What does this mean?

Habitat

It is a benthic species that occurs at depths between 360 m and 1350 m, in temperate marine waters of the southern hemisphere.

Classification

Species:
sexspinis
Genus:
Notacanthus
Family:
Notacanthidae
Order:
Notacanthiformes
Class:
Actinopterygii
Subphylum:
Vertebrata
Phylum:
Chordata
Kingdom:
Animalia

What does this mean?

References

  1. Gomon, M.F. in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992.
  2. Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.
  3. McDowell, S.B. 1973. Notacanthididae in Fishes of the Western North Atlantic. Part 6: Orders Notacanthiformes, Beryciformes, Stephanoberyciformes and Gadiformes. Sears Foundation for Marine Research, Yale University. Pp. 698.
  4. Smith, D. G. 1999. Notacanthidae. in Carpenter, K.E. & V.H. Niem (Eds). FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes. The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. Volume 3. Batoid fishes, chimaeras and bony fishes part 1 (Elopidae to Linophrynidae). FAO, Rome. Pp. iii-vi, 1398-2068.

 


Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated:

Tags Fishes, Ichthyology, Southern Spineback, Notacanthus sexspinis, Notacanthidae, Spineback, Spiny Eel, eel-like, long and skinny, 30 cm - 1 m, bethnic species, temperate water, marine, southern hemisphere,