Ophidiiformes is an order of ray-finned fish that includes the cusk-eels, pearlfishes, viviparous brotulas, and others. Members of this order have small heads and long slender bodies. They have either smooth scales or no scales, a long dorsal fin and an anal fin that typically runs into the caudal fin. They mostly come from the tropics and subtropics, and live in both freshwater and marine habitats, including abyssal depths. They have adopted a range of feeding methods and lifestyles, including parasitism. The majority are egg-laying, but some are viviparous.
Fiordland, is a non-administrative geographical region of New Zealand in the south-western corner of the South Island, comprising the western third of Southland. Most of Fiordland is dominated by the steep sides of the snow-capped Southern Alps, deep lakes, and its steep, glacier-carved and now ocean-flooded western valleys. The name "Fiordland" derives from an alternate spelling of the Scandinavian word for steep glacial valleys, "fjord". The geographic area of Fiordland is dominated by, and roughly coterminous with, Fiordland National Park, New Zealand's largest national park.
Fiordland National Park is a national park in the south-west corner of South Island of New Zealand. It is the largest of the 13 national parks in New Zealand, with an area covering 12,607 km2 (4,868 sq mi), and a major part of the Te Wāhipounamu a UNESCO World Heritage Site established in 1990. The park is administered by the Department of Conservation. The southern ranges of the Southern Alps cover most of Fiordland National Park, combined with the deep glacier-carved valleys.
The Fiordland penguin, also known as the Fiordlandcrested penguin, is a crested penguin species endemic to New Zealand. It currently breeds along the south-western coasts of New Zealand's South Island as well as on Stewart Island/Rakiura and its outlying islands. Because it originally ranged beyond Fiordland, it is sometimes referred to as the New Zealand crested penguin. It is occasionally found in Australia.
Te Anau is a town in the Southland region of the South Island of New Zealand. In Māori, Te-Anau means the Place of the Swirling Waters. It is on the eastern shore of Lake Te Anau in Fiordland. Te Anau is 155 kilometres north of Invercargill and 171 kilometres to the southwest of Queenstown. Manapouri lies 21 kilometres to the south. Te Anau lies at the southern end of the Milford Road, 117 kilometres to the south of Milford Sound.
New Zealand has 44 marine reserves spread around the North, the South Island, and neighbouring islands, and on outlying island groups. They are governed by the Marine Reserves Act 1971 and administered by the Department of Conservation with assistance from the Ministry for Primary Industries, New Zealand Customs Service and the New Zealand Defence Forces.
The cusk-eel family, Ophidiidae, is a group of marine bony fishes in the Ophidiiformes order. The scientific name is from the Greek ophis meaning "snake", and refers to their eel-like appearance. True eels diverged from other ray-finned fish during the Jurassic, while cusk-eels are part of the Percomorpha clade, along with tuna, perch, seahorses and others.
The viviparous brotulas form a family, the Bythitidae, of ophidiiform fishes. They are known as viviparous brotulas as they generally bear live young, although there are indications that some species do not. They are generally infrequently seen, somewhat tadpole-like in overall shape and mostly about 5–10 cm (2–4 in) in length, but some species grow far larger and may surpass 60 cm (2 ft).
Anchor Island is an island in Dusky Sound in Fiordland.
The pink brotula, Brosmodorsalis persicinus, is a species of viviparous brotula, the only member of the genus Brosmodorsalis. It is found along the northeast coast of the North Island of New Zealand from shallow depths to about 17 metres (56 ft). Their length is up to 6 centimetres (2.4 in).
Fiordichthys is a genus of viviparous brotula native to the southwest Pacific Ocean.
The Mexican blind brotula is a species of viviparous brotula endemic to Mexico, where it is found in sinkholes and caves. It is known as sak kay in Mayan and dama blanca ciega in Spanish. This cavefish grows to a standard length of 9.7 cm (3.8 in). It is the only known member of its genus.
Bidenichthys is a genus of viviparous brotulas.
Brosmophyciops pautzkei, the slimy cuskeel or free-tailed reef brotula, is a species of viviparous brotulas found in tropical reefs of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. This species grows to 7 cm (2.8 in) total length. This species is the only known member of its genus. The specific name honours Clarence F. Pautzke, who was a former student of the describer of this species who went on to become the chief biologist in the Department of Game of Washington state and who was present on Bikini Atoll in 1946 and 1947 when the type specimen was collected.
The black brotula, also known as the black widow, is a species of viviparous brotula found in reefs of the western Atlantic Ocean where it occurs from the Bahamas in the north southwards to Brazil. This species grows to a length of 7.5 centimetres (3.0 in) TL. This species is the only known member of its genus.
The barbed brotula is a species of cusk-eel found in the Indian and Atlantic Oceans off of the southern coast of Africa where it is found at depths of from 200 to 980 metres. This species grows to a length of 30 centimetres (12 in) TL. This species is one of two member of its genus, the other being Selachophidium americanum. The barbed brotula has been found to have an ossified swelling of bone in the back of the skull that is connected to the pectoral girdle, vertebral column, and gas bladder via soft tissue.
The Fiordland Conservancy, also known as the Fiordland Recreation Area formerly, and since also as the Fiordland Conservation Area, is a conservancy in British Columbia, Canada. It preserves a portion of the province's coast containing glacial fjords; at the time of its inception it was the only protected area in the system protecting this particular environmental zone. Established in 1987, the park covers 76,825 hectares of the Kitimat Ranges, part of the Coast Mountains, and 7,592 hectares of foreshore. It is located approximately 100 kilometers north of the town of Bella Coola. The park encompasses two major inlets — Mussel and Kynoch. As there is no road access to the park, it is mainly enjoyed by sailors and kayakers. Although there are no modern settlements in the area, the Heiltsuk people have maintained villages along the shores in the past. The nearest settlements are Klemtu and Bella Bella.
Fiordland is a geographic region of New Zealand.
Bythitinae is a subfamily of viviparous brotulas, one of the two subfamilies in the family Bythitidae. This subfamily is characterised by having the dorsal, caudal and anal fins combined. They are mostly found in temperate to tropical seas, from reefs to the benthopelagic zone, but some species from the North Atlantic Ocean occur in into Arctic waters.
Dracophyllum fiordense, commonly known as the Fiordland grass tree, is a species of tree or shrub in the heath family, Ericaceae. It is endemic to the South Island of New Zealand. It reaches a height of 1.5–5.0 metres and has tufts of long green leaves at the ends of its branches. Each leaf has a distinctive curled spiral tip. D. fiordense has a pyramid-shaped inflorescence hidden under each clump of leaves, with between 113 and 120 pink flowers on each spike, and later reddish-brown dry fruit; both are around just 2 by 2 mm. It inhabits shrubland, lowland and subalpine forests, and tussock grassland of mountain slopes, gullies, and ridges. Its range covers two main areas: one in Fiordland National Park, and one in the Mount Cook and Westland National Parks.
