Family ANOMALOPIDAE

Anomalopidae

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Introduction

Currently, six genera and nine species are recognised in the Anomalopidae (Eschmeyer 2014; Eschmeyer & Fong 2014). Two species in two genera are known from Australia.

Flashlight fishes occur in tropical waters of the Indian, Pacific and western Atlantic Ocean, typically inhabiting reef environments. Species are nocturnal, sheltering in caves in deeper waters during the day, and coming near the surface on moonless nights. Small pelagic crustaceans are the primary food. Flashlight fishes have a large light organ under the eye containing luminous symbiotic bacteria, and control the emission of light by rotating the light organ, or covering it with a skin fold. McCosker (1977) described the ecology of the flashlight fishes and the functions of the light organ. Maximum total length is about 30 cm.

The Anomalopidae were briefly reviewed by Rosenblatt & Montgomery (1976) and McCosker & Rosenblatt (1987), who recognised three genera and four species. Relationships are discussed by Johnson & Rosenblatt (1988) and Baldwin et al. (1997). Australian species are treated in Paxton & Johnson (1999), Randall et al. (1997) and Allen & Erdmann (2012).

General References

Allen, G.R. & Erdmann, M.V. 2012. Reef fishes of the East Indies. Perth : Tropical Reef Research 3 vols, 1260 pp.

Baldwin, C.C., Johnson, G.D. & Paxton, J.R. 1997. Protoblepharon rosenblatti, a new genus and species of flashlight fish (Beryciformes: Anomalopidae) from the tropical South Pacific, with comments on anomalopid phylogeny. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 110(3): 373-383

Eschmeyer, W.N. 2014. Catalog of Fishes. Online version updated 19 May 2014. http://research.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/fishcatmain.asp

Eschmeyer, W.N. & Fong, J.D. 2014. Species of Fishes by family/subfamily. Catalog of Fishes. Online version updated 19 May 2014. http://research.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/SpeciesByFamily.asp

Johnson, G.D. & Rosenblatt, R.H. 1988. Mechanisms of light organ occlusion in flashlightfishes, family Anomalopidae (Teleostei: Beryciformes), and the evolution of the group. Journal of the Linnean Society of London, Zoology 94: 65-96

McCosker, J.E. 1977. Flashlight fishes. Scientific American 263(3): 106-114 12 figs

McCosker, J.E. & Rosenblatt, R.H. 1987. Notes on the biology, taxonomy, and distribution of the flashlight fishes (Beryciformes: Anomalopidae). Japanese Journal of Ichthyology 34(2): 157-164

Paxton, J.R. & Johnson, G.D. 1999. Family Anomalopidae. pp. 2212-2213 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, T.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 4 pp. 2069-2790.

Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 557 pp. figs.

Rosenblatt, R.H. & Montgomery, W.L. 1976. Kryptophaneron harveyi, a new anomalopid fish from the eastern tropical Pacific and the evolution of the Anomalopidae. Copeia 1976(3): 510-515 figs 1-2

Common Name References

FishBase 2013. Fishbase at. http://www.fishbase.org/Summary. (Lanterneye Fishes)

Paxton, J.R. & Johnson, G.D. 1999. Family Anomalopidae. pp. 2212-2213 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, T.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 4 pp. 2069-2790. [2212] (FAO) (Flashlight Fishes)

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