Graceful Whiptail, Coelorinchus charius Iwamoto & Williams 1999

Summary:

A pale brownish grenadier with a moderate to sharply pointed snout, a faint bluish tinge on belly, and a pale with ivory to silvery sheen below, the underside of the head whitish, anterior snout margin slightly dusky, lips, gums, barbel and anterior margin of mouth cavity cream. Fins pale dusky, without prominent markings, pelvic fins dark to dusky, outer ray white distally. The underside of the head has small, finely spinulated scales except along border of the mouth.

Cite this page as:

Bray, D.J. & G. Frankham, Coelorinchus charius in Fishes of Australia, accessed 20 Apr 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/3610

Graceful Whiptail, Coelorinchus charius Iwamoto & Williams 1999

More Info

Distribution	Endemic to tropical and subtropical waters off Western Australia, and off Cape York, Queensland; bathydemersal on the continental slope at depths between 420-691 m.
Features	Dorsal fin II, 8-9; Pectoral fin 17-19; Gill rakers (inner) 2+6; Branchiostegal rays 7-9. Snout moderate in adults to long in juveniles, sharply pointed, anterolateral margin completely supported by bone; mouth relatively small, upper jaw extending posteriorly below hind margin of pupil, jaw teeth small, in broad, short bands on premaxillary teeth, in narrow bands on mandible; chin barbel short (about equal to or less than length posterior nostril), gill openings restricted by membrane. Nasal fossa with scattered scales ventrally, underside of head with small, finely spinulated scales except along mouth border; body scales short with overlapping spinules in 4-7 divergent rows, none broad-based or enlarged. Anus separated from anal-fin origin by one to two scale rows, light organ visible as a short, naked black fossa anterior to anus.
Size	Reaches a total length of 37 cm.
Colour	Body overall light brownish, grey dorsally, faintly bluish over abdomen, pale with ivory to silvery reflections ventrally; underside of head whitish, anterior snout margin slightly dusky, lips, gums, barbel and anterior margin of mouth cavity cream. No prominent markings on fins. Fins pale dusky, without prominent markings, pelvic fins dark to dusky, outer ray white distally.
Biology
Fisheries
Conservation
Etymology	The specific name charius in from the Greek 'charieis' meaning graceful.
Species Citation	Coelorinchus charius Iwamoto & Williams, 1999, Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 51(3): 132, fig.9. Type locality: off Shark Bay, Western Australia, depth 610-612 m.
Author	Bray, D.J. & G. Frankham

Graceful Whiptail, Coelorinchus charius Iwamoto & Williams 1999

References

Iwamoto, T. & Williams, A. 1999. Grenadiers (Pisces, Gadiformes) from the continental slope of western and northwestern Australia. Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 51(3): 105-243, figs. 1-58.

Williams, A., Last, P.R., Gomon, M.F. & J.R. Paxton. 1996. Species composition and checklist of the demersal ichthyofauna of the ocntinental slope off Western Australia (20-35°). Rec. West. Aust. Mus. 18: 135-155 [as Coelorinchus sp. E].