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Gilbert's Halosaur
Aldrovandia affinis (Günther, 1877)
All images: A 34 cm long Gilbert's Halosaur trawled during the NORFANZ expedition at a depth between 1400 m and 1460 m in international waters south of Norfolk Island, May 2003 (NMNZ P.39253). Photo: K. Parkinson © NORFANZ. View larger image.
Anterior region showing the head, dorsal fin and pelvic fins. Photo: K. Parkinson © NORFANZ. View larger image.
Gilbert's Halosaur has an elongate body and an attenuate tail. It has a pointed snout that extends well in front of the mouth. There is a single short based dorsal fin and a long based anal fin that extends to the end of the tail. The body is scaled, with enlarged scales along the lateral line. The top of the head has no scales.
This species is pinkish, becoming darker posteriorly. The head is silvery.
It grows to 55 cm in length.
Gilbert's Halosaur feeds on polychaetes, amphipods and other small benthic invertebrates.
It occurs in tropical marine waters at continental slope depths worldwide.
In Australia it is known from off north-western Western Australia and New South Wales.
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
Further reading
- Smith, D. G. 1999. Halosauridae. in Carpenter, K.E. & V.H. Niem (Eds). FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes. The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. Volume 3. Batoid fishes, chimaeras and bony fishes part 1 (Elopidae to Linophrynidae). FAO, Rome. Pp. iii-vi, 1398-2068.
