| Cockatoo Handfish | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Information | |
| Range | Southwest Pacific, Australia. |
| Scientific Classification | |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Actinopterygii |
| Order | Lophiiformes |
| Family | Brachionichthyidae |
| Genus | Pezichthys |
| Species | P. amplispinus |
The Cockatoo handfish, (Pezichthys amplispinus), is a fish from the family Brachionichthyidae.
Environment[]
Marine; demersal; depth range 74 - 121 m. Temperate; 36°S - 38°S, 149°E - 151°E
Description[]
Member of the genus Pezichthys with a bold colour pattern, long dermal spinules, a humped nape and the posterior extension of the first dorsal-fin membrane is very short (i.e. interdorsal distance long). It also differs from its congeners in a combination of the following characters: esca small, 19–21% of illicium length; illicium very slender, without dermal spinules, its length 16–20% SL, 2.5–3.1 times in head length in adults; head length 4.9–6.2 times snout length; snout long, length 8–10% SL; eye 6.2–7.7 times in head length; body moderately robust, maximum width 30–38% SL; interorbital width 8–11% SL; scale bases subcircular with relatively long bifurcate spinules (except for those closely associated with pores of the acoustico-lateralis system); spinules variable in length over body; dorsal-fin elements with spinules, membranes of fins mostly naked; first dorsal-fin base length 18–20% SL; second dorsal-fin rays 15–16 (usually 16), fin base 55–63% SL; length of second dorsal-fin spine 1.4–1.9 times length of longest ray of second dorsal fin; anal-fin rays 7–9; upper body variegated, lacking dark spots or streaks; caudal fin not covered with fine spots.
Distribution[]
Southwest Pacific, Australia.