Epigonichthys hectori is a species of lancelet within the family Branchiostomatidae.[1][2] The species is the only known lancelet species found in New Zealand, rarely being caught for having specific habitat needs of clean coarse sand. It inhabits these sandy areas around the North Island and northern parts of the South Island at depths up to 55 meters below sea level, with one recent individual being found on the coasts of Urquharts Bay near the Whangārei Heads in 2023 after being stranded in a puddle during low-tide.[3]
| Epigonichthys hectori | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Subphylum: | Cephalochordata |
| Class: | Leptocardii |
| Family: | Branchiostomatidae |
| Genus: | Epigonichthys |
| Species: | E. hectori
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| Binomial name | |
| Epigonichthys hectori (Benham, 1901)
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| Synonyms | |
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References
edit- ^ "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Epigonichthys hectori (Benham, 1901)". www.marinespecies.org. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
- ^ "Epigonichthys hectori". www.sealifebase.se. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
- ^ de Gier, Werner; Hubert, Jeroen (2023-09-14). "Something's Fishy: An Unexpected Intertidal Encounter with the New Zealand Lancelet, Epigonichthys hectori (Benham, 1901), near the Whangarei Heads, NZ". Diversity. 15 (9): 1017. doi:10.3390/d15091017. ISSN 1424-2818.