Frostfish, Lepidopus caudatus (Euphrasén 1788)
A Frostfish, Lepidopus caudatus, from the Tasman Sea, May 2003. Source: NORFANZ Founding Parties. License: CC By Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
One of the more commonly captured trichiurids, the Frostfish is taken by both commercial and recreational fishers targeting the winter spawning run of Gemfish off the coast of Sydney.
Frostfish, Lepidopus caudatus (Euphrasén 1788)
More Info
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Distribution |
Off Newcastle, New South Wales, around southern Australia, to off Perth, Western Australia, including Tasmania. Elsewhere the species is widespread on the continental shelf and slope, and around seamounts and offshore pinnacles. The species does not occur in the North Pacific. Frostfish are benthopelagic in depths of 250-750 during the day, migrating to shallower mid-waters at night. The species has been recorded from Sydney Harbour. |
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Features |
Dorsal fin 98-110; Anale fin II, 59-66; Gill rakers 17-20. Body elongate and compressed. Body depth 10.9-15.4 times into standard length. Head length 5.7-6.8 times into standard length. Snout length 2.4-2.7 times into head length. Dorsal head profile obliquely concave, rises more steeply from eye to dorsal fin origin. Sagital crest on nape only. Eye diameter 4.9-6.1 times into head length. Second anal fin spine plate-like, inserted below 38th to 42nd dorsal fin ray. Only posterior 15-24 anal fin rays are connected by a membrane. Pelvic fin origin below 8th or 9th dorsal fin ray. Palatine toothed. |
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Size |
To 205 cm and 8 kg (NE Atlantic specimen). |
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Colour |
Body uniformly silvery; dorsal fin membrane with black margin between first 3 soft dorsal-fin rays and seventh to ninth soft rays. |
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Feeding |
Frostfish undertake nightly migrations to feed in the midwaters on small mesopelagic fishes, crustaceans and squids, with myctophids (lanternfishes) dominating the diet. In Tasmanian waters, Frostfish fed mostly on myctophids and euphausid crustaceans. |
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Biology |
Individuals captured from spawning aggregations in the Atlantic measured from 67 to 199 cm. In NSW waters, a winter spawning run occurs each year at depths between 300 and 600 m. The eggs are 1.6-1.9 mm in diameter, with a single oil globule. Larvae have been found in NSW coastal waters between May and November. |
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Fisheries |
Although of little commercial importance, Frostfish are one of the more commonly captured trichiurids. The species is taken by both commercial and recreational fishers targeting the winter spawning run of Gemfish off the coast of Sydney. |
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Conservation |
IUCN: Data Deficient |
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Remarks |
This schooling species has been observed using remote underwater cameras. It usually swims head upwards in a vertical position within 15 m of the substrate. Schools have been seen ranging from a dozen individuals to shoals estimated to contain over 14000 individuals. |
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Etymology |
From the Latin, caudatus, referring to the tail fin which is forked rather than a tapering hair-like extension. |
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Species Citation |
Trichiurus caudatus Euphrasén 1788, K. Svenska Vetensk. Akad. Nya Handl. Stockholm 9: 52, pl. 9(2). Type locality: Cape of Good Hope, South Africa. |
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Author |
Bray, D.J. & Schultz, S. 2018 |
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Resources |
Frostfish, Lepidopus caudatus (Euphrasén 1788)
References
Blaber, S.J.M. & C.M. Bulman. 1987. Diets of fishes of the upper continental slope of eastern Tasmania: Content, calorific values, dietary overlap and trophic relationships. Marine Biology 95(3): 345-356.
Euphrasén, B.A. 1788. Beskrifning påzine Fiskar. Kongliga Svenska Vetenskaps-Academiens Nya Handlingar, Stockholm 9: 51-55
Glover, C.J.M. 1994. Family Trichiuridae. pp. 816-819, figs 721-723 in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. Adelaide : State Printer 992 pp. 810 figs.
Gomon, M.F. 2008. Families Sphyraenidae to Centrolophidae. pp. 774-800 in Gomon, M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp.
Grant, E.M. 1991. Fishes of Australia. Brisbane : EM Grant Pty Ltd 480 pp.
Iwamoto, T. 2015. Lepidopus caudatus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T198721A42691759. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T198721A42691759.en. Downloaded on 14 January 2018.
Lacépède, B.G. 1800. Histoire Naturelle des Poissons. Paris : chez Plassan Vol. 2 632 pp. 20 pls.
Last, P.R., Scott, E.O.G. & Talbot, F.H. 1983. Fishes of Tasmania. Hobart : Tasmanian Fisheries Development Authority 563 pp. figs.
May, J.L. & Maxwell, J.G.H. 1986. Field Guide to Trawl Fish from Temperate Waters of Australia. Hobart : CSIRO Division of Marine Research 492 pp.
Nakamura, I. & Parin, N.V. 1993. FAO Species Catalogue. Snake mackerels and cutlassfishes of the world (families Gempylidae and Trichiuridae). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the Snake Mackerels, Snoeks, Escolars, Gemfishes, Sackfishes, Domine, Oilfish, Cutlassfishes, Scabbardfishes, Hairtails, and Frostfishes known to date. Fisheries Synopsis No. 125, Vol. 15. Rome : FAO 136 pp. 200 figs.
Neira, F.J., A.G. Miskiewicz & T. Trnski. 1998. Larvae of temperate Australian fishes: laboratory guide for larval fish identification. University of Western Australia Press. Nedlands, Western Australia.
Pakhorukov, N.P. 2008. Visual Observations of Fish from Seamounts of the Southern Azores Region (the Atlantic Ocean). Journal of Ichthyology, 48(1): 114-123.
Parin, N.V. & Bekker, V.E. 1973. Trichiuridae. pp. 462-464 in Hureau, J.-C. & Monod, T. (eds). Checklist of the Fishes of the North-Eastern Atlantic and of the Mediterranean (CLOFNAM). Paris : UNESCO Vol. 1 683 pp.
Phillipps, W.J. 1932. Notes on new fishes from New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Science and Technology 13(4): 226-234 figs 1-5 (as Lepidopus lex)
Robertson, D.A. 1980. Spawning of the frostfish, Lepidopus caudatus (Pisces: Trichiuridae), in New Zealand waters. N. Z. Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 14: 129-136.
Scandol, J, K. Rowling & K. Graham. 2008. Status of Fisheries Resources in NSW 2006/07. NSW Department of Primary Industries, Cronulla, 334 pp.
Stewart, A.L. 2015. 231 Family Trichiuridae (pp. 1616-1622), in Roberts, C.D., Stewart, A.L. & Struthers, C.D. (eds) The Fishes of New Zealand. Wellington : Te Papa Press Vol. 4 pp. 1153-1748.
Ward, R.D., Costa, F.O., Holmes, B.H. and Steinke, D. 2008. DNA barcoding of shared fish species from the North Atlantic and Australasia: minimal divergence for most taxa, but Zeus faber and Lepidopus caudatus each probably constitute two species. Aquatic Biology 3(1): 71-78.
White, A 1851. List of the specimens of the British animals in the collection of the British museum. Part VIII Fish. Printed by Order of the Trustees. London, 1851. pp. xxiii, 1-164
Yearsley, G.K., Last, P.R. & Ward, R.D. (eds) 1999. Australian Seafood Handbook. Hobart : CSIRO Marine Research 460 pp.
