Hemerocoetes macrophthalmus

Fish
IUCN: Not evaluated

Usual depth55–410 m
Water temperature8–18 °C
Best monthsMarch and May
How commonRare

About this species

Hemerocoetes macrophthalmus is a ray-finned fish of the genus Hemerocoetes, found only around New Zealand, and around the South Island at depths of between 100 and 500 m. Their length is between 10 and 25 cm.

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

Where and when

Where it has been recorded

Worldwide

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Best months

Worldwide (open data)

January: 0 records
February: 0 records
March: 2 records
April: 1 records
May: 2 records
June: 0 records
July: 0 records
August: 1 records
September: 0 records
October: 1 records
November: 1 records
December: 0 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 55–410 m · Deepest record: 530 m

20–30 m: 1 records
30–40 m: 3 records
40–50 m: 14 records
50–60 m: 24 records
60–70 m: 38 records
70–80 m: 48 records
80–90 m: 11 records
90–100 m: 12 records
100–110 m: 19 records
110–120 m: 16 records
120–130 m: 7 records
130+ m: 186 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 8–18 °C

6–8 °C: 10 records
8–10 °C: 79 records
10–12 °C: 33 records
12–14 °C: 124 records
14–16 °C: 85 records
16–18 °C: 41 records
18–20 °C: 7 records

Names and classification

Other scientific names: Hemerocoetes waitei

Similar species

opal fish
Hemerocoetes monopterygius
Hemerocoetes artus
Little Opalfish
Hemerocoetes pauciradiatus
Acanthaphritis barbata
Acanthaphritis grandisquamis
Yellowspotted Duckbill
Acanthaphritis ozawai

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).
381 open-data records from 1911 to 1981.
Species data updated November 3, 2026.

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