Cohen's Whiptail, Nezumia coheni Iwamoto & Merrett, 1997

Scientific name: Nezumia cohen
Alternative name/s:
Cohen's Rattail
Cohen's Rattail, Nezumia coheni Click to enlarge image
A Cohen's Rattail trawled by K. Graham on FRV Kapala from a depth between 960m and 988m, east of Newcastle, New South Wales, October 1983 (AMS I.24181-003, K83-13-02). Image: Ken Graham
© 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

  1. 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.