Pale Cusk, Neobythites pallidus Nielsen 1997

Summary:

A uniformly pale cusk eel with no ocelli, dark blotches or vertical bands on the body.

Cite this page as:

Bray, D.J. 2023, Neobythites pallidus in Fishes of Australia, accessed 19 Apr 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/4590

Pale Cusk, Neobythites pallidus Nielsen 1997

More Info

Distribution	South of Saumarez Reef, Saumarez Plateau, Coral Sea, to off Point Hicks, Victoria. Elsewhere the species occurs in the south-west Pacific (New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Fiji). Benthopelagic on the upper continental slope.
Features	Dorsal fin 97-101; Anal fin 82-86; Gill rakers 14-16 (long rakers); Pseudobranch filaments 4-6; Vertebrae 58-60. Preoperculum with two spines on hind margin; longest gill filaments on anterior arch 2.8-4.8 % head length.
Etymology	The specific name is from the Latin pallidus (= pale, pallid), in reference to the uniformly pale, light-brown coloration of this species.
Species Citation	Neobythites pallidus Nielsen 1997, Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle 174: 68, fig. 15a, b. Type data: New Caledonia, 18°49.4'S, 163°18.8'E, depth 590 m.
Author	Bray, D.J. 2023
Resources	Atlas of Living Australia Australian Faunal Directory Catalog of Fishes

Pale Cusk, Neobythites pallidus Nielsen 1997

References

Fricke, R., Kulbicki, M. & Wantiez, L. 2011. Checklist of the fishes of New Caledonia, and their distribution in the Southwest Pacific Ocean (Pisces). Stuttgarter Beiträge zur Naturkunde. Serie A (Biologie) Neue Serie 4: 341-463

Günther, A. 1887. Report on the deep-sea fishes collected by H.M.S Challenger during the years 1873–1876. Report on the Scientific Results of the Voyage of H.M.S. Challenger 1873–1876, Zoology 22(57): 1-268 figs 1-7 pls 1-66

Nielsen, J.G. 1997. Deepwater ophidiiform fishes from off New Caledonia with six new species. In, Séret, B. (ed.) Résultats des Campagnes MUSORSTOM, v. 17. Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris 174: 51-82

Nielsen, J.G. 2002. Revision of the Indo-Pacific species of Neobythites (Teleostei, Ophidiidae), with 15 new species. Galathea Report 19: 5-104 91 figs

Nielsen, J.G., Cohen, D.M., Markle, D.F. & Robins, C.R. 1999. Ophidiiform Fishes of the World. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of pearlfishes, cusk-eels, brotulas and other ophidiiform species known to date. FAO Fisheries Synopsis No. 125 Vol. 18. 178 pp.

Nielsen. J.G. 1999. Families Carapidae, Ophidiidae, Bythitidae, Aphionidae. pp. 1978-1985 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, V.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 3 pp. 1397-2068.

Uiblein, F., Williams, A., Everett, B., Matiku, P. & Sithole, Y. 2020. Neobythites pallidus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T141358263A141807413. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-1.RLTS.T141358263A141807413.en. Accessed on 12 September 2023.