Holcomycteronus pterotus (Alcock 1890)

Cite this page as:

Bray, D.J. 2026, Holcomycteronus pterotus in Fishes of Australia, accessed 04 Jun 2026, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/5794

Holcomycteronus pterotus (Alcock 1890)

More Info

Distribution	Balthazar Seamount, Christmas Island Territory, eastern Indian Ocean, 3510-3611 m. Elsewhere the species occurs in the Indian Ocean: off southern India in the Gulf of Mannar and off the Madras coast of India in the Bay of Bengal.
Features	Body robust, snout rounded; eye diameter much shorter than snout; opercular spine strong; 2 median and a pair of basibranchial tooth patches; 7-11 developed rakers on anterior gill arch; pelvic fin rays flattened distally and somewhat thicker in males.
Etymology	The specific name is from the Greek pterón (= wing, fin) and –ōtos (suffix indicating possession), in reference to the long, feathery pectoral fins, which reach the anal-fin origin.
Species Citation	Neobythites pterotus Alcock 1890, Annals and Magazine of Natural History (6)6(33) (art. 26): 210. Type locality: Off Madras coast, India, 18°26'N, 85°24'E, Investigator station 97, depth 1310 fathoms.
Author	Bray, D.J. 2026
Resources	Atlas of Living Australia Australian Faunal Directory Catalog of Fishes

Holcomycteronus pterotus (Alcock 1890)

References

Alcock, A.W. 1890. Natural History Notes from H.M. Indian Marine Survey Steamer Investigator. No. 16. On the Bathybial Fishes Collected in the Bay of Bengal during the Season 1889-1890. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 6: 197-222. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/65087

Alcock, A.W. 1894. Illustrations of the zoology of the Royal Indian marine surveying steamer Investigator,...Fishes. Calcutta. Part 2: no p., Pls. 8-13. (Pl. 11, fig. 4) See ref at BHL

Alcock, A.W. 1900. Illustrations of the zoology of the Royal Indian marine surveying steamer Investigator,...Fishes. Calcutta. Part 7: no p., Pls. 27-35. (Pl. 29, fig. 1) See ref at BHL

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.

Uiblein, F., Everett, B., Matiku, P. & Sithole, Y. 2020. Holcomycteronus pterotus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T137551777A137564080. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-1.RLTS.T137551777A137564080.en. Accessed on 06 February 2026.