Scientific Name
Barbourisia rufa  
Pronounce  
 Barbourisia rufa紅鬚仿鯨
by: Kwang-Tsao Shao
Author Parr, 1945 Depth 300 - 2000M
Chinese 紅鬚仿鯨 Poisonous Fish No 
Family_Chinese 鬚仿鯨科 Economic Fish No 
Family F272　Barbourisiidae Edible Fish No  Chinese In Mainland China 紅刺鯨口魚 
Max Length 34.5 cm  Aquarium Fish No  Common Name 紅刺鬚仿鯨、鯨口魚 
Distribution in World global   Distribution in Taiwan South 
Habitats Deep Sea  Holotype Locality Gulf of Mexico [Western Atlantic], 27°01'N, 94°22'W, Atlantis station 2852, depth 750-1000 meters, over bottom depth of 895 fathoms 
Synonyms  
Reference The Live Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific, Vol.4(FAO,1999)；Fishes of Japan(Nakabo, 2002)  Parr, A. E. 1945 Abe, T. etc. 1963 Carpenter, K. E. etc. 1999 Nakabo T. 2002 
Specimen List ASIZP0057678. ASIZP0063512. ASIZP0064539. ASIZP0076178. ASIZP0807091. ASIZP0917091.  
Barcode2016-01-27,HAN-YANG,CO1,100% 2016-01-27,HAN-YANG,CO1,100%
Common Name Velvet whalefish 
Redlist Status NL Not in IUCN Redlist     
Characteristic Body somewhat flabby, moderately robust, whale-shaped with median fins opposite and far posterior. Head large; mucous cavities on top of head separated by thick ridges and covered by skin. Eyes small. Snout very long; nasal organ moderately developed. Mouth very large, jaws extending far behind eye. Teeth small and closely set, on jaws, vomer, and ectopterygoid; palatine and copula lacking teeth. Gill rakers well developed, lath-like. Fins without spines; 1 dorsal fin with 19 to 22 soft rays; anal fin with 15 to 18 soft rays; pectoral fins with 13 or 14 rays; pelvic fins abdominal with 6 soft rays; caudal fin with 19 principal rays. Lateral line well developed as a broad tube pierced by small pores and supported by internal scales. Body and head covered by small, adherent, non-imbricate scales with a single, central spine giving a velvet-like texture. No photophores or luminous tissue. No cavernous tissue. Pleural ribs present. Total vertebrae 40 to 43. Colour in life, bright red-orange; in preservative, white.
habitats Juveniles mesopelagic, adults benthopelagic. Presumably feeds on crustaceans. 
Distribution Throughout the world ocean in tropical and temperate latitudes. It is very rare and only found in southern Taiwanese waters. 
Utility Rare deep-sea fishes of no commercial importance.