Latin name

Bellingshausenia olasoi

Identification

Bellingshausenia olasoi has a slender body with an elongated and compressed tail. The head is more or less oval, slightly compressed, with a rounded muzzle. The eyes are not round and reach to the top of the head. The mouth is located below the muzzle, and the upper jaw extends back to the centre of the pupil in females and just behind the back edge of the eye in males. The lips are thin and the lower lip has a posterior lobe. The nasal process does not reach the upper lip. The widening gill slit reaches the lower edge of the base of the pectoral fin. There is a small hook-shaped lobe on the operculum. There are conical teeth on the mandible, vomer and palatine. The teeth on the premaxilla are arranged in 3 rows anteriorly and reduced to one row posteriorly. The mandible has 34 irregular rows anteriorly and one row posteriorly. In addition, this taxon is characterised by the presence of seven gill rays and other skeletal features. 

Features of fish fins

The dorsal and anal fins are fused with the caudal fin. The pelvic fins are absent or greatly reduced. 

Fish colouring

В спирту окраска самок темно-коричневая, на голове и теле темно-коричневая, темнее на верхних боках, а нижняя часть головы сероватая с коричневато-сероватым брюшком. Самцы почти однородного светло-коричневого цвета.

Distribution

Bellingshausenia olasoi is found only in Antarctica: Bellingshausen Sea, Southern Ocean.

Habitat

A marine benthopelagic fish that prefers temperate climates. Depth range ? - 615 м.

Size

The standard length of males of this species is 28 centimetres. Females are 25.4 centimetres long. Life expectancy is approximately 9 years.

Behavior

They live right at the bottom and are attracted to soft, muddy bottoms where they can burrow and bury their eggs.

Food and feeding habits

They feed on benthos and demersal fish.

Reproduction

These fish reproduce like all congeners by laying large bottom eggs, but no direct observations of spawning have been made and there is no information on the reproduction of this species.

Fishing

The species is of no commercial interest to fisheries.

Relationship with a person

Harmless.