Eltanin Handfish

This species is characterized by the combination of the following characters: very large esca, 54-82% of illicium length; short and stout illicium, with or without dermal spinules, its length 21-22% SL, 2.4-2.6 times in head length; head length 5.4-5.5 times snout length; snout length about 10% SL; eye diameter 6.1-7.0 times in head length; maximum width of body 31-39% SL; interorbital is broad, width 12-15% SL; scale bases stellate with short bicuspid spinules (except for those closely associated with pores of the acoustico-lateralis system); dorsal-fin elements and membranes with full or partial coverage of spiny scales; first dorsal-fin base long, length 25-30% SL; second dorsal-fin rays 15-16, fin base 62-63% SL; length of second dorsal-fin spine 0.9-1.5 times length of longest ray of second dorsal fin; 7-8 anal-fin rays; uniformly white body and fins (Ref. 82446).

This deepwater handfish is known only from the mid continental shelf, and possibly the upper continental slope, off Tasmania (Ref. 82446).