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Bean's Bigscale
Scopelogadus beanii (Günther, 1887)
A Bean's Bigscale trawled during the NORFANZ expedition at a depth between the surface and 1275 m in international waters south of Norfolk Island, May 2003. Photo: M. McGrouther © NORFANZ. View larger image.
Head of the fish in the top image. Note the thin bones and large cavities. Photo: M. McGrouther © NORFANZ View larger image.
Bean’s Bigscale is a moderately elongate fish with a large head that has deep mucous cavities and ridges of thin bones. It has a relatively long caudal peduncle and weakly attached cycloid scales. The scales are usually missing from fish that are caught in trawls. This leaves obvious scale pockets on the sides of the body.
This species grows to at least 12 cm in length.
Bean’s Bigscale occurs in bathypelagic waters at depths from 800 m to 4000 m. It is known from the Indo-West Pacific and Atlantic Oceans .
In Australia it has been caught from off central to southern New South Wales.
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
Related links
Further reading
- Glover, C.J.M. in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992.
- Paulin, C., Stewart, A., Roberts, C. & P. McMillan. 1989. New Zealand Fishes. A Complete Guide. National Museum of New Zealand. Pp. 279.
