Codheaded rattail

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Codheaded rattail
Drawing by Dr Tony Ayling
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Gadiformes Family: Macrouridae Subfamily: Bathygadinae Genus: Bathygadus Species: B. cottoides
Binomial name
Bathygadus cottoides Günther, 1878

The codheaded rattail, Bathygadus cottoides, is a rattail of the genus Bathygadus, found in the southeast Atlantic Ocean and the southwest Pacific Oceans, at depths of between 1,000 and 1,600 m. Its length is between 20 to 30 cm.

The codheaded rattail has the usual greatly elongated pointed tail of the rattails, as well as large eyes and a ridged conical snout. Its head is relatively large and bulky compared with other rattails. The first dorsal fin is low , and there is no chin barbel. The head is soft with flexible bones, as is common in deepwater fish.

Colour is brown with a black head, belly, and fins.

[edit] References

• "Bathygadus cottoides". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. April 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