Javelin

Coelorinchus australis

Fish
IUCN: Not evaluated

Usual depth200–740 m
Water temperature8–19 °C
Best monthsJuly, August, and December
How commonOccasional

About this species

Coelorinchus australis, the javelin, javelinfish, or southern whiptail, is a species of fish found around Australia and New Zealand at depths of between 80 and 500 m. Its length is between 25 and 50 cm. It is a brownish color with 8 or 9 pale longitudinal stripes, and a small chin barbel. It feeds on octopus, fishes, and decapod crustaceans.

Text from the Wikipedia article “Coelorinchus australis”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article

Where and when

Where it has been recorded

Worldwide

Loading the map

Best months

Worldwide (open data)

January: 3 records
February: 13 records
March: 36 records
April: 22 records
May: 13 records
June: 9 records
July: 53 records
August: 47 records
September: 42 records
October: 31 records
November: 7 records
December: 53 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 200–740 m · Deepest record: 1,150 m

0–10 m: 4 records
10–20 m: 7 records
20–30 m: 12 records
30–40 m: 8 records
40–50 m: 12 records
50–60 m: 5 records
60–70 m: 3 records
70–80 m: 0 records
80–90 m: 3 records
90–100 m: 2 records
100–110 m: 9 records
110+ m: 1,783 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 8–19 °C

6–8 °C: 64 records
8–10 °C: 50 records
10–12 °C: 201 records
12–14 °C: 314 records
14–16 °C: 70 records
16–18 °C: 55 records
18–20 °C: 38 records

Names and classification

English: Javelin, Rugose Whiptail, Southern Whip-tail, Southern Whiptail

Other scientific names: Caelorinchus australis, Coelorhynchus australis, Coelorhynchus mortoni, Lepidoleprus australis, Macrurus australis

Similar species

Bollons' rattail
Coelorinchus bollonsi
Banded Whip-tail
Coelorinchus fasciatus
Innotable Whiptail
Coelorinchus innotabilis
Gargoyle Fish
Coelorinchus mirus
Hawknose grenadier
Coelorinchus oliverianus
Spottyface Whiptail
Coelorinchus acanthiger

Sources and credits

Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).

Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
2,005 open-data records from 1900 to 2016.
Species data updated November 1, 2026.

Log what you see on your next dive

The free DiveHive diver app keeps your logbook with every sighting and shows what lives at the site you dive next.

Join the waitlist