Deepwater Shore-Eel, Alabes bathys Hutchins 2006
Holotype of the Deepwater Shore-Eel, Alabes bathys, NMV A 14558, 39 mm SL, from off Cape Sorell, Tasmania. Source: Rudie H. Kuiter / Aquatic Photographics. License: All rights reserved
Deepwater Shore-Eel, Alabes bathys Hutchins 2006
More Info
Distribution |
Endemic to southern Australia, from Central Bass Strait to off Cape Otway, Victoria, and south to off western Tasmania. Depth range 74-348 metres. |
Features |
Caudal fin 7-8; Pelvic fin 2?; Vertebrae (total) 69? Body very elongate, moderately compressed; head very short; eyes small; mouth small; gill opening a small slit on underside of head; single sensory pore dorso-posterior to eye; dorsal, anal and caudal fins continuous, dorsal and anal elongate, without fin rays; pelvic fins rudimentary, positioned immediately behind gill opening, width less than length of gill slit. |
Colour |
Head and body pale brown, abdominal region more pinkish ventrally; body becoming more translucent posteriorly, vertical fins almost totally transparent; middle of side with longitudinal series of whitish spots from head almost to caudal fin, each spot about equal or subequal to eye diameter; dorsal surface with longitudinal series of similarly coloured short cross-bands, continued onto dorsal-fin fold as vertical bars; a few pale spots on anal-fin fold. Larger paratype differs in its ground colour, being a more pale greyish green. |
Remarks |
This species has been collected by dredge from deep coastal waters at depths to 348 m. |
Similar Species |
Alabes bathys differs from all other species in the genus Alabes in having a moderately large gill opening, a smaller pelvic-fin rudiment consisting of 2 apparent fin rays in each half, 4 cephalic pores: 1 preocular pore (POP), 1 anterior nasal pore (ANP), 2 lachrymal pores (LP) in the lateral line system, and in its unique colour pattern. |
Etymology |
The specific name is from the Greek bathys (= deep) in reference to the deep water habitat of this species. |
Species Citation |
Alabes bathys Hutchins 2006, Mem. Mus. Vic. 63(1): 26, figs 1a, 1b. Type locality: 30 km NNW of Cape Sorell, Tasmania (42°10.9'S, 144°48.9'E), depth 160 m. |
Author |
Bray, D.J. 2021 |
Resources |
Deepwater Shore-Eel, Alabes bathys Hutchins 2006
References
Hutchins, B. 2006. Description of two new species of shore-eels (Gobiesocidae: Cheilobranchinae: Alabes) from south-eastern Australia and Norfolk Island. Memoirs of Museum Victoria 63(1): 25-28, http://doi.org/10.24199/j.mmv.2006.63.5
Hutchins, J.B. 2008. Family Gobiesocidae. pp. 722-741 in Gomon. M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H (eds). Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp.