PORT PHILLIP BAY


a live-bearing cusk 

Dactylosurculus gomoni Schwarzhans & Møller, 2007

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Meristics.
Dorsal fin spines/rays: 97-106
Anal fin spines/rays: 70-78
Caudal fin rays: 14
Pectoral fin rays: 24
Ventral fin spines/rays: 1
Gill rakers: 11-13
Vertebrae: 47-49

Interpreting fin count meristics.
Spines are in Roman numerals and soft rays are in Arabic numerals. Spines and rays that are continuous in one fin are separated by a comma. Fin sections are separated by semicolons.

Detailed descriptions of fin count and other meristics are in:
Gomon, M.F., Bray, D.J. and Kuiter, R.H. (2008) Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp.

Family level detail.
Small to medium-sized fishes having internal fertilization and associated copulatory organs; long-based dorsal and anal fins sometimes connected to the tail; pelvic fins, when present, with 1-2 rays; large mouths; scales present in most; gill cover with a well-developed spine.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Chordata
Subphylum:
Craniata
Superclass:
Gnathostomata
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order:
Ophidiiformes
Family:
Bythitidae
Genus:
Dactylosurculus
Species:
gomoni

General Description

Small slender yellow, orange or brown fishes with long-based dorsal and anal fins separate from the tail. The main distinguishing characters of bythitids are the morphology of the male pseudoclapers, fin ray and vertebral counts, scalation and otolith morphology.

Biology

This species is nocturnal and very rarely seen.

Habitat

Caves and crevices on rocky reefs in coastal waters, in depths of 0-25 m.

Reefs

Distribution guide

Southern Australia, including western and central Victoria.

Species Group

Fishes › Cusk-eels, ling and allies

Depth

Shallow (1-30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

6 cm

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

Conservation Status

  • DSE Advisory List : Not listed
  • EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
  • IUCN Red List : Not listed

Author

article author Bray, D.J.

Di Bray is a Senior Collection Manager of ichthyology at Museum Victoria.

Author

article author Gomon, M.F.

Dr. Martin Gomon is a Senior Curator of ichthyology at Museum Victoria.

citation

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. & Gomon, M.F., 2011, a live-bearing cusk, Dactylosurculus gomoni, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 25 Feb 2025, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/6333

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