Demissolinea novaeguineensis Burhanuddin & Iwatsuki, 2003
New Guinean hairtail

Family:  Trichiuridae (Cutlassfishes), subfamily: Trichiurinae
Max. size:  45 cm TL (male/unsexed); 47.5 cm TL (female)
Environment:  benthopelagic; marine
Distribution:  Western Central Pacific: known only from the type locality, off Dolak Island, southwestern New Guinea.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 3-3; Dorsal soft rays (total): 135-137; Anal spines: 1-1; Anal soft rays: 97-101; Vertebrae: 156-170. Lateral line descending steeply from head and reaching close to ventral body margin; maxilla extending almost to a vertical through posterior margin of eye; subopercle large, elongated, anteriorly serrated, and fimbriated along posterior margin; first anal spine enlarged, dagger-shaped; and caudal peduncle vertebrae short and bearing neural spines (except ultimate centrum), the last four penultimate centra each bearing one long and two short neural spines on the middle of the dorsal zygapophyses (Ref. 50501). Lacks a caudal fin, the body tapering to a hairlike tail (Ref. 50501).
Biology:  Environment needs verification.
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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