Very Rare Fish Caught In Bay Of Plenty

Press, Volume C, Issue 29498, 27 April 1961, Page 14

Very Rare Fish Caught In Bay Of Plenty

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, April 26. One of the rarest fish in the world, and only the third specimen of its kind in existence, has been sent to the Dominion Museum by an Auckland trawlerman, Mr J Shirley, who caught it in the Bay of Plenty. The only name given it is a classification attributed to one of the earlier-found specimens Centrolaphus maoricus

“It is a member of the rudder fish family,” said the museum Ichthyologist. Mr H Moreland, today. The fish is about 3ft long and is greyish-black in colour. It has eyes larger than a half crown, a deeply pitted head, and a remarkably "snub” nose. The fish was caught in a trawler net in about 60 fathoms, just off White Island It was deep-frozen, and sent to the Dominion Museum for identification, and will be preserved for future research work.

“There are only two other similar specimens in existence, both caught in the South Island, and these are in British and Australian museums.” Mr Moreland said. One or two specimens of the fish had been caught in New Zealand before, but had not been kept. This was the first specimen caught since 1900, he said "It likes deep, cold water, and is usually found in the south." Mr Moreland said Centrolaphus maoricus was not dangerous, said Mr Moreland. It had small teeth, and probably lived on small Ash. crabs and shrimps. “It has soft, flabby flesh, and is probably not much good to eat,” he said. “The other members of the family are not very edible. “It is a rather useless sort of fish,” he said, “but is of tremendous interest to us because of its scarcity. It will be one of the most valuable items in our collection.”