Origin Whiptail, Hymenocephalus nascens Gilbert & Hubbs 1920
Other Names: Nascent Membranehead

An Origin Whiptail, Hymenocephalus nascens, from the Southern Norfolk Ridge, Tasman Sea, depth 813–1000 m, NMNZ P. 39620 (32.4 mm HL, 157+ mm TL). Source: Robin McPhee & Kerryn Parkinson / NORFANZ Founding Parties. License: All rights reserved
Summary:
A pale to silvery membranehead with the ventral aspects of head and trunk black, with a prominent silvery stripe along the side of the body and tail, a smooth spinous second fin ray in the first dorsal fin, 12–14 pelvic-fin rays, a large eye (orbit diameter 29–40% HL), suborbital width 10–14% HL, and no chin barbel.
Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2017, Hymenocephalus nascens in Fishes of Australia, accessed 11 Feb 2025, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/3784
Origin Whiptail, Hymenocephalus nascens Gilbert & Hubbs 1920
More Info
Distribution |
South-west of Mandurah (32°40´S) to west of Barrow Island (20°47´S), WA and east of Hinchinbrook Island, QLD (17°04´S) to off Crowdy Head, NSW (32°11´S). Elsewhere the species is widespread in the tropical, West Pacific - from the South China Sea off Hong Kong, Philippines and Indonesia, off western and eastern Australia to New Caledonia and New Zealand, and the Southern Lau Ridge (Tonga region). |
Features |
Pelvic rays 12–14 (elsewhere 11–13), total gill rakers first arch (outer/ inner) 17–22/23–28, second arch 22–28/22–26, chin barbel absent, orbit diameter 29–40% HL, suborbital width 10–14% HL, snout length 22–31% HL, interorbital width 24–29% HL. Most of orbit, upper surface of snout, sides of head and trunk silvery or pale, ventral aspects of head and trunk black. Prominent mid-lateral stripe of silvery (fresh) or brownish (preserved) pigment running along trunk and tail. |
Colour |
Head mostly pale silvery but anterior margin of upper and lower jaws blackish. Brownish stripe of pigment above mid-lateral line from behind head, running along tail but fading posteriorly. Trunk and tail below mid-lateral line pale silvery, peppered with small melanophores. Silvery-blackish ventral striae on isthmus and chest midway between pelvic fin bases and anal fin origin. All fins pale-dusky |
Similar Species |
The combination of the absence of a chin barbel, 12–14 pelvic-fin rays and a distinctive midlateral silvery stripe running along the trunk and tail distinguishes this species from others in the genus Hymenocephalus. |
Species Citation |
Hymenocephalus nascens Gilbert & Hubbs 1920, Bull. U. S. Natl Mus. 100(1)7: 535, Fig. 33. Type locality: vicinity of Sibuko Bay, Borneo, Albatross station 5587, depth 415 fathoms. |
Author |
Bray, D.J. 2017 |
Resources |
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Origin Whiptail, Hymenocephalus nascens Gilbert & Hubbs 1920
References
Gilbert, C.H. & Hubbs, C.L. 1920. Contributions to the biology of the Philippine Archipelago and adjacent regions. The macrouroid fishes of the Philippine Islands and the East Indies. Bulletin of the United States National Museum 100 (1 pt 7): 369–588.
Iwamoto, T. & Graham, K.J. 2001. Grenadiers (Families Bathygadidae and Macrouridae, Gadiformes, Pisces) of New South Wales, Australia. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 52(21): 407–509.
Iwamoto, T. & Merrett, N.R. 1997. Pisces Gadiformes: Taxonomy of grenadiers of the New Caledonian region, southwest Pacific. In: Crosnier, A. Résultats des Campagnes MUSORSTOM 18. Mémoires du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle 176: 473–570.
Iwamoto, T. & Williams, A. 1999. Grenadiers (Pisces, Gadiformes) from the continental slope of western and northwestern Australia. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 51 (3): 105–243.
McMillan, P. & T. Iwamoto. 2014. Descriptions of four species of grenadier fishes of the genera Hymenocephalus and Hymenogadus (Teleostei, Gadiformes, Macrouridae) from the New Zealand region and Tasman Sea, including two new species of Hymenocephalus. Zootaxa 3856(1): 117-134.
Merrett, N.R. & Iwamoto, T. 2000. Pisces Gadiformes: grenadier fishes of the New Caledonian region, southwest Pacific Ocean. Taxonomy and distribution, with ecological notes. In: Crosnier, A. (Ed), Résultats des Campagnes MUSORSTOM, vol. 21. Mémoires du Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle 184: 723–781.