Pugnose Shore Eel, Alabes obtusirostris Hutchins & Morrison 2004

Illustration of the holotype of the Pugnose Shore-eel, Alabes obtusirostris, from Lakes Entrance, Victoria, CSIRO H.4462-01, 46 mm SL. Source: S. Morrison, Fig. 1, in Hutchins & Morrison (2004) Records of the Australian Museum 56: 152. License: All rights reserved

Summary:

A rare shore eel known only from preserved specimens. The Pugnose Shore Eel has a short blunt, pugnose-like snout, a broad mouth, a large gill slit that is equal in length to, or greater than the eye diameter, and no post-ocular sensory pores above and behind the eye.

Cite this page as:

Bray, D.J. 2021, Alabes obtusirostris in Fishes of Australia, accessed 23 Jan 2025, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/1144

Pugnose Shore Eel, Alabes obtusirostris Hutchins & Morrison 2004

More Info

Distribution	Endemic to southern Australia, from east of Lakes Entrance, Victoria, to off Binningup, Western Australia, in depths of 28-65 metres. Most specimens have been collected in benthic grabs or sleds.
Features	Caudal fin 8; Vertebrae (total) 70. Body elongate, moderately compressed; head very short, with a short blunt, pugnose-like snout; eyes small; mouth small; gill opening a small slit on underside of head, its width equal to or greater than eye diameter; no sensory pore dorso-posterior to eye; dorsal, anal and caudal fins continuous, dorsal and anal elongate, without fin rays; pelvic fins absent.
Colour	Colour in life unknown.
Etymology	This specific name obtusirostris is from the Latin obtusus (= blunt) and rostris (= snout), in reference to the blunt (rather than truncate) snout of this species.
Species Citation	Alabes obtusirostris Hutchins & Morrison, 2004, Rec. Aust. Mus. 56: 152, fig. 1. Type locality: east of Lakes Entrance, between 37°52.8'S, 148°11.8'E and 37°51.7'S, 148°13.8'E, Victoria, Australia, depth 28 m.
Author	Bray, D.J. 2021
Resources	Atlas of Living Australia Australian Faunal Directory Catalog of Fishes

Pugnose Shore Eel, Alabes obtusirostris Hutchins & Morrison 2004

References

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.

Hutchins, B. & Morrison, S. 2004. Five new fish species of the genus Alabes (Gobiesocidae: Cheilobranchinae). Records of the Australian Museum 56: 147-158 https://doi.org/10.3853/j.0067-1975.56.2004.1426