Fleshfish
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| iFleshfish | ||||||||||||||
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 Drawing by Dr Tony Ayling
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| Dermatopsis macrodon Ogilby, 1896 |
The fleshfish, Dermatopsis macrodon, is a cusk eel of the genus Dermatopsis, found in southern Australia and around New Zealand at shallow depths, in rock pools and reef areas of broken rock. Their length is between 7 and 10 cm.
The fleshfish is a small codlike fish with long dorsal and anal fins and a small separate tail fin. Large pectoral fins contrast with single-ray pelvic fins set well forward under the gill openings. The small eyes lie towards the top of the head and the mouth is large and bears prominent teeth.
Colouration is normally a uniform olive-brown but when disturbed or removed from the water this changes to a dull red.
The fleshfish is very secretive, living deep within crevices or caves, or under rocks, and is very seldom seen.
[edit] References
- Dermatopsis macrodon (TSN 165188). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 19 March 2006.
- "Dermatopsis macrodon". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. January 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.
- Tony Ayling & Geoffrey Cox, Collins Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand, (William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1982) ISBN 0-00-216987-8
