Psychrolutes occidentalis

Psychrolutes occidentalis, also known as the western Australian sculpin or western blobfish, is a species of deep-sea fish of the family Psychrolutidae.[2][3] Psychrolutes = someone that has a cold bath, occidentalis: Specific name refers to its distribution across Western Australia. https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/blobfish/631213. Blobfishes generally live at a depth of about 2,000 to 4,000 feet below sea level, which is really deep. They are a grayish to whitish pink color and are usually less than one foot long. This is the case for all blobfish, with the scientific name that also includes psychrolutes marcidus and psychrolutes microporos, alongside the psychrolutes occidentalis. https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/blobfish/631213.

Western Australian Sculpin
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Scorpaeniformes
Family: Psychrolutidae
Genus: Psychrolutes
Species:
P. occidentalis
Binomial name
Psychrolutes occidentalis

Distribution

Individuals have only been discovered in the Eastern Indian Ocean, around the Rowley Shoals off of northwestern Australia. They live in depths ranging from 350–704 meters deep. The discovery of psychrolutes occidentalis in this location was unusual due the fact that the vast majority of psychrolutes are not typically found in tropical waters.[2] [1]

Biology

The species is found on the continental slope, and is benthic. It grows to 11 cm (4.3 in) standard length.[2]

The species has a reddish/brown soft body and head, with thin, loose skin covering all fins.[1]

References
  1. Fricke, Ronald (1990). "A new species of psychrolutid fish from western Australia". Japanese Journal of Ichthyology. 36 (4): 404–409. doi:10.1007/BF02905459. S2CID 89490400.
  2. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2019). "Psychrolutes occidentalis" in FishBase. February 2019 version.
  3. "Psychrolutes occidentalis". fishesofaustralia.net.au. Museums Victoria. Retrieved 26 May 2019.


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