Coelorinchus acantholepis

<em>Coelorinchus acantholepis</em> is a deep-sea saltwater fish classified within the family Macrouridae, commonly known as grenadiers or rattails, one of the most speciose and ecologically significant families in the deep-sea demersal fish fauna. This species typically reaches a maximum length of approximately 16 cm and has been recorded at depths down to around 759 meters, occupying the bathyal zone of the ocean floor. Macrouridae is characterized by its members' distinctively tapered bodies that taper to a long, thin, rat-like tail — giving rise to the common name rattail — and large eyes adapted to the dim conditions of the deep sea. <em>Coelorinchus acantholepis</em> inhabits deep continental shelf and slope environments, where it lives and forages close to the sediment surface. Grenadiers are generally opportunistic feeders, consuming a variety of invertebrates, carrion, and small fishes encountered along the seafloor. The genus <em>Coelorinchus</em> is among the largest in the family, with numerous species distributed across the world's deep-sea basins. <em>Coelorinchus acantholepis</em> occurs in the Indo-Pacific region, where it is part of the diverse deep-water demersal fish assemblage of continental slope habitats. Grenadiers as a group are of commercial interest in some regions where deep-sea trawl fisheries operate, though the sustainability of such fishing at bathyal depths is a subject of ongoing concern. Details of broader habitat and range for this species remain limited in the ichthyological literature.