Latin name

Pagothenia phocae

Other name

Bandtail notothen

Identification

The species was first officially described in 1844 as Notothenia phocae by the Scottish naval surgeon, naturalist and Arctic explorer John Richardson, and the location of the species was given as the Antarctic Glacial Ocean off Victoria Land, with the species found in the stomach contents of a seal.

The species name phocae means 'seal' because holotypes were found in the stomach contents of Hydrurga leptonyx.

The stocky rockfish has an elongated body, compressed towards the tail. It has a medium-sized mouth, with the upper jaw extending just beyond the front of the eye. The jaws have rows of small, sharp, conical teeth that are larger at the front of the mouth and form a single row at the back. The body is covered with fine, slightly ridged and not ridged scales, the head being mostly bare. The lateral lines are rather blurred and have a few tubular scales. 

Features of fish fins

The first dorsal fin has 4-5 spines, the second dorsal fin has 29-32 soft rays and the anal fin has 26-30 soft rays. 

Fish colouring

The overall colour is yellowish-brown with blue highlights on the back, some individuals have coral pink spots near the head. There are six dark spots on the back under the dorsal fins.

Distribution

Widespread in the Southern Ocean near the coast of Antarctica in the Ross Sea, Davis Sea, along the coast of William II, north of the Edward VIII Ice Shelf and along the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula.

Habitat

Stocky rockfish lead a benthic lifestyle.

Size

This species reaches a maximum total length of 17.2 cm. 

Behavior

They are able to live in near-freezing water temperatures (down to minus 1.9 degrees Celsius). They have peculiar biological antifreezes in the blood and other body fluids, special compounds of sugars with proteins - glycoproteins, which prevent the formation or critical growth of ice crystals in the body. Another important adaptation to living at constant sub-zero temperatures is the decrease in the number of form elements in the blood, especially in the red blood cells, which contributes to a significant decrease in the viscosity of the blood and, consequently, to its faster circulation in the blood system.

Food and feeding habits

It is a cryopelagic species that feeds on euphausiids and paddlefish on the underside of the ice. Juveniles have been found around the South Shetland Islands and Elephant Island in areas of krill aggregation.

Reproduction

There is virtually no information on the reproduction of this species. 

Fishing

Not of commercial interest to fisheries.

Relationship with a person

Harmless.