Squashed face rattail
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 Drawing by Dr Tony Ayling
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| Nezumia namatahi (Günther, 1878) |
The squashed face rattail, Nezumia namatahi, is a rattail of the genus Nezumia, found around New South Wales, Australia, and New Zealand, at depths of between 1,250 and 1,300 m. Its length is about 35 cm.
The very rare squashed face rattail has the usual greatly elongated pointed tail of the rattails, as well as large eyes, short abruptly-pointed snout, and elongate first dorsal and pelvic fin rays. The first dorsal fin ray is also serrated.
Viewed from above the snout has a central point and two lateral points, all of which are tipped with broad spiny sclerites, and the body scales are densely covered with small flattened spines
The colour is dark brown, grading to black on the abdomen, around the gill openings, and on the bases of the second dorsal and anal fins.
[edit] References
- "Nezumia namatahi". 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
