Roughsnout Whiptail, Coelorinchus lasti Iwamoto & Williams 1999

Endemic to waters off Western and southern Australia; benthopelagic on the continental slope at 1140 m.

D II, 8; P 17; V 7; GR (inner) 8; BR 6; PC

Body relatively deep with greatest depth below origin of first dorsal about equal to postrostral length of head. Head large, snout moderately pointed with anterolateral margin incompletely supported by bone. Mouth moderately large, teeth in somewhat broad bands in both jaws, about 3-6 teeth across widest part of premaxilla, 3-4 teeth wide across widest part of dentary. Chin barbel short, less than half orbit diameter, thin to hairfine distally. Most of scale spinules on underside of head stoutly and bladelike, aligned in high, narrow, crest like or ridgelike rows.
Nasal fossa has small scales on anteroventral corner but otherwise naked. Body scales large with spinules on trunk scales in 3-5 divergent rows. Spinules on body scales below dorsal interspace imbricate.
Anus positioned immediately anterior to anal fin; no external sign of a light organ. Free neuromasts on head numerous and black (but not particularly noticeable due to dark ground colour). Paired fins relatively short, none extending to vertical of anal fin origin. Outer pelvic ray slightly prolonged but falling short of anus. Longest ray of first dorsal fin about equal to postorbital length of head. Second dorsal fin poorly developed except near terminal end. Anal fin well developed to end of tail.

A very large species reaching a total length of 62 cm.

Overall colour dark/chocolate brown; spinules on scales black; mouth, barbel, gill membranes, gill arches and rakers dark brownish to blackish; all fins black.

Unknown.

Of no commercial interest.

Not assessed.

Coelorinchus lasti Iwamoto  & Williams  1999, Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 51(3): 141, figs.13-14, west of Mandurah, WA, 1140 m.

Bray, D.J. & G. Frankham