Grey brotula
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| iGrey brotula | ||||||||||||||
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 Drawing by Dr Tony Ayling
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| Bidenichthys consobrinus (Hutton, 1876) |
The grey brotula or orange cuskeel, Bidenichthys consobrinus, is a cusk eel of the genus Bidenichthys, found around northern New Zealand from shallow depths to about 25 m, in rock pools and reef areas of broken rock. Their length is between 4 and 6 cm.
The grey brotula is a small codlike fish, very similar to the fleshfish, with long dorsal and anal fins and a small separate tail fin. Large pectoral fins contrast with very long single-ray pelvic fins set well forward under the gill openings. The eyes lie towards the top of the head and the mouth is large and bears prominent teeth. It has an eel-like swimming action.
There are two colour forms - either a uniform orange-red, or a pale yellow.
The grey brotula is very secretive, living deep within crevices or caves, or under rocks, and is very seldom seen although it is locally very common.
[edit] References
- Bidenichthys consobrinus (TSN 622908). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 19 March 2006.
- "Bidenichthys consobrinus". 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
