| Family: |
Brachionichthyidae (Handfishes) |
| Max. size: |
4.51 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
demersal; marine; depth range 105 - 150 m |
| Distribution: |
Southwest Pacific: Australia. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal soft rays (total): 17-18; Anal soft rays: 7-8. This species is characterized by the following combination of characters: large esca, size variable, about 56% of illicium length; thick illicium, fleshy, with some dermal spinules on basal half, length 16-21% SL, 2.1-3 times in head length; esca with similar thickness to rest of structure; body entirely covered with close-set, non-imbricate scales; scale bases rudimentary, margins irregular, with long bifurcate spinules (except for those closely associated with pores of the acoustico-lateralis system); mainly adpressed spinules, originating from posterior region of scale base, apical spines moderately divergent; second dorsal fin rays 15-16, fin base 61-66% SL; length of second dorsal-fin spine 0.8-0.9 times length of longest ray of second dorsal fin; anal-fin rays 7-8; pectoral-fin rays 7-8; upper body is uniformly pale pink; membranes between distal portions of rays of dorsal, caudal and pelvic fins dark (Ref. 82446). |
| Biology: |
|
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Endangered (EN); Date assessed: 01 May 2018 (B2ab(iii,v)) Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
| Country info: |
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