Moulton's handfish

📖 Overview

Moulton's handfish (Sympterichthys moultoni), first described by Last & Gledhill, 2009 is a tiny fish. Adults typically reach 4.50 cm in maximum length. It inhabits marine coastal and open-ocean environments. Recorded depth range: 105 to 150 metres. It occurs in Temperate waters. It feeds on a mix of small fish and invertebrates as a mid-level predator. On the IUCN Red List, it is classified as Endangered.

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

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 .: elongated.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Moulton's handfish is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

🥚 Reproduction

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; demersal; depth range 105 - 150 m . Temperate Southwest Pacific: Australia.

🌿 Ecology

📐 Morphometrics

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

🐠 Related Species

👥 Community & Contribute