Family AULOPIDAE

Aulopidae

© Copyright Ros Poole.

Hime curtirostris

© Copyright D.F. Hoese

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Introduction

The Aulopidae comprise four genera, with 15 described species. Three genera and six species occur in Australia.

The family is distinct from related families in having two supramaxillae. Aulopids occur over sand, sometimes adjacent to rocky reefs, and most are trawled in depths of 50-1000 m. Latropiscis purpurissatus, the sergeant baker, is found around rocky reefs in depths as shallow as 15 m. Most species are small, averaging 20-40 cm in length, but some reach a length of 60 cm.

Aulopids from the Indo-Pacific are currently being reviewed by Martin Gomon. Gomon et al. (2013) described a new genus and two new species from Australasia. Previously, Australian species were under study by Bruce Thompson. Hoese et al. (2006) provisionally reported on five species, based on comments and unpublished information by Thompson about this family in Australia. Gomon & Yearsley (2008) treated Latropiscis purpurissatus.

General References

Gomon, M.F., Struthers, C.D. & A.L. Stewart. 2013. A new genus and two new species of the family Aulopidae (Aulopiformes), commonly referred to as Aulopus, flagfins, Sergeant Bakers or Threadsails, in Australasian waters. Species Diversity 18: 141-161

Gomon, M.F. & Yearsley, G.K. 2008. Family Aulopidae. 257 in Gomon, M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp. [257]

Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J. & Gates, J.E. 2006. Family AULOPIDAE. pp. 463-465 in Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & Allen, G.R. Fishes. In, Beesley, P.L. & Wells, A. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 35. Volume 35 Australia : ABRS & CSIRO Publishing Parts 1-3, 2178 pp.

Mead, G.W. 1966. Family Aulopidae. In, Olsen, Y.H. (ed.) Fishes of the western North Atlantic. Memoir. Sears Foundation of Marine Research 1(5): 19-29 fig. 7

Okamura, O. & Kitajima, T. (eds) 1984. Fishes of the Okinawa Trench and Adjacent Waters. I. Tokyo : Japan Fisheries Resource Conservation Association 414 pp. 8 figs 205 pls.

Parin, N.V. & Kotlyar, A.N. 1989. A new aulopodid species, Hime microps, from the eastern South Pacific, with comments on geographic variations of H. japonica. Japanese Journal of Ichthyology 35(4): 407-413

Thompson, B.A. 1998. Redescription of Aulopus bajacali Parin & Kotlyar, 1984, comments on its relationship and new distribution records. Ichthyological Research 45(1): 43-51

Common Name References

Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. A comprehensive reference for divers and fishermen. Sydney, NSW, Australia : New Holland Publishers xvii, 434 pp. [36] (Sergeant Bakers)

Paxton, J.R. & Niem, V.H. 1999. Families Aulopidae, Chlorophthalmidae, Ipnopidae, Scopelarchidae, Notosudidae. pp. 1919-1927 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, V.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 3 pp. 1397-2068. [1919] (FAO) (Aulopus)

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