Goobala Whiptail, Coelorinchus goobala Iwamoto & Williams 1999

Tropical Eastern Indian Ocean, endemic to northwestern Australia; bathydemersal on the continental slope at 300-582 m.

Meristic features: First dorsal fin II, 8-9; Pectoral fin 14-17; Pelvic fin 7; Gill rakers(inner) 7-8; Branchiostegal rays 6.

Snout long, slender, sharply pointed in young specimens, shorter and blunter in adults, tipped with a slender terminal scute, anterolateral margins incompletely supported by bone. Mouth small, upper jaw length; jaws with no enlarged teeth, upper jaw teeth in broad short bands, lower jaw teeth in long narrow band; gill membranes broadly attached to isthmus, moderately restricting gill openings; chin barbel short, tapering to a fine tip. Underside of head and nasal fossa completely naked; body scales with conical spinules. Light organ short, poorly defined, positioned in front of anus.

Reaches a total length of 35 cm.

In preservative - light brownish, underside of head mostly cream, extending onto gill membranes; tip of snout with light dusting of fine spot; mouth, lips and gums cream; abdomen darker and somewhat violet ,tinged with darker colour extending posteriorly and ventrally onto tail; first dorsal fin dusky, tipped with black, blackish colour more extensive in some smaller specimens; pectoral fins dusky overall, upper edge dark, base pale; pelvic fin creamy white with a faint speckling in some specimens.

Of no commercial interest.

Coelorinchus goobala Iwamoto & Williams 1999, Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 51(3): 138, fig.11. Type locality: Northwest Shelf off Rowley Shoals, Western Australia, 17°37'S, 118°40'E.

Dianne J. Bray & Greta J. Frankham