Palau grenadier

The Palau grenadier (Ventrifossa macroptera) is a species of rattail. This is a deep-water fish found at depths of up to 710 m.^{[citation needed]} It has been recorded from many parts of the Pacific Ocean including Hawaii, southern Japan, the Kyushu–Palau Ridge and northeastern Taiwan.^[1]

Palau grenadier
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Gadiformes
Suborder:	Macrouroidei
Family:	Macrouridae
Genus:	Ventrifossa
Species:	V. macroptera
Binomial name
Ventrifossa macroptera Okamura, 1982

This species is rather similar to many of its congeners and is best distinguished by a combination of morphometric characters. It has a fairly distinctive black pattern on its head and a uniformly dark first dorsal fin (although this latter is not a unique trait).^[1] A specimen from Taiwan measured 20.2 cm total length.^[1]