Javelin (fish)
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 Drawing by Dr Tony Ayling
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| Caelorinchus australis (Richardson, 1839) |
The javelin, javelinfish, or southern whiptail, Caelorinchus australis, is a rattail of the genus Caelorinchus, found around Australia and New Zealand at depths of between 80 and 500 m. Its length is between 25 to 50 cm.
The javelin has the usual greatly elongated pointed tail of the rattails, but relatively small eyes and head and a conical snout. Body scales are covered with rows of large spines giving the fish a sandpaper-like feel and appearance. There is a small chin barbel and a long first dorsal fin ray.
The colour is green-grey, coloured with dark grey fins and faint saddle-like darker bars on the back.
[edit] References
- "Caelorinchus australis". 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
