Kaiyomaru Whiptail

Interesting Info

• The Kaiyomaru Whiptail is a little-known deep-sea rattail fish that lives in the cold, dark waters off southern Australia and New Zealand.
• It is named after the Japanese research vessel *Kaiyō Maru*, which collected some of the first specimens for science.
• Like other whiptails, it has a large head with big eyes to capture what little light exists at extreme depths.
• Its body is grey to brownish with faint darker mottling, allowing it to blend into the muddy seafloor.
• The Kaiyomaru Whiptail lives on continental slopes, usually at depths of 600 – 1,200 m (2,000 – 4,000 ft).
• It feeds on small benthic invertebrates, such as worms, shrimps, and amphipods, and may scavenge on dead animals.
• This species uses its sensitive lateral line to detect vibrations and movements in total darkness.
• Very little is known about its reproduction, but like other grenadiers, it probably spawns eggs into open water, where larvae drift in deep-sea currents.
• Its lifespan is unknown, though many whiptails live for decades in cold deep waters.
• Predators may include larger deep-sea fishes, sharks, and squid that share the same habitat.
• Scientists know the Kaiyomaru Whiptail only from deep-sea trawl catches, making every specimen valuable for research.
• It is one of the “mystery fish” of the deep, with many aspects of its biology still undiscovered.