Family CENTRISCIDAE

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Introduction

The Centriscidae comprise two subfamilies, Centriscinae (razorfishes) and Macroramphosinae (bellowsfishes or snipefishes), with 12 species in five genera (Eschmeyer 2014; Eschmeyer & Fong 2014). All genera and eight species are recorded from Australian waters. Previously the family was revised by Regan (1914) and Mohr (1937). Previously Paxton et al (2006) and Gomon (2008) included the genera Centriscops, Macroramphosus and Notopogon in the family Macroramphosidae. Both subfamilies are considered more closely related to each other than to other syngnathiform families (Wilson & Orr 2011), and separation as families or subfamilies is largely arbitrary at present. Nelson et al. (2016) recognised the two groups as families in the superfamily Centriscoidea.

Razorfishes typically swim head down in tropical shallow shelf waters or on coral reefs, usually in association with sea urchins. They have a long tubular snout, a posterior dorsal fin and a posteroventral caudal fin. Their compressed body is encased in bony plates with a sharp ventral edge. Maximum length is 15 cm.

Bellowsfishes or snipefishes inhabit tropical and subtropical waters of all oceans where the adults are benthopelagic on the continental shelf and slope; juveniles are pelagic. Recorded food items include crustaceans, bryozoans, polychaetes, pteropod molluscs and fishes. They have a long tubular snout, a compressed body, with a strong dorsal spine and bony plates at the shoulder region. Sexual dimorphism and ontogenetic changes has previously confused the taxonomy. Maximum length is 30 cm.

Species are variously treated in Randall et al. (1997), Fritzsche & Thiesfeld (1999), Kuiter (2000, 2009), Gomon (2008) and Allen & Erdmann (2012). Fritzsche et al (1984) and Leis & Rennis (2000) treated larvae of some species. Relationships within the group are discussed by Keivany & Nelson (2006) and Wilson & Orr (2011).

The nomenclature of bellowsfishes requires some comment. Lacepède (1803) described Macroramphosus, with Silurus cornutus Forsskål, 1775 as the type species by monotypy. Although most later authors changed the spelling to Macrorhamphosus to conform to correct spelling of the original Greek stem, these are clearly unjustified emendations, for even in the Table of Contents Lacépède spelled the name without the first 'h'. Of greater concern is the point raised by Mohr (1937), that Silurus cornutus Forsskål, 1775 is described so briefly that it cannot be placed with certainty in the family. Although Günther (1861) placed S. cornutus in the synonymy of Centriscus scolopax Linnaeus without comment, later works such as Regan's 1914 review of the family and Wheeler's 1973 synopsis of the north-eastern Atlantic species have not placed Forsskål's species. No types remain (Klausewitz & Nielsen 1965). Mohr (1937) considered that Lacépède's Macroramphosus was unavailable because the type species was of doubtful identity, and recognised the genus Macrorhamphosus with Regan (1914) as the author (neither he nor she mentions a type species). Macrorhamphosus might be an available name, as it is not a homonym of Macroramphosus Lacepède, but there are earlier authors other than Regan (1914) who used the generic name in combination with some species other than Forsskål's enigmatic S. cornutus (e.g. Waite 1899: Macrorhamphosus scolopax elevatus). Also there are earlier generic names. Solenostomus Risso, 1810 and Centriscus Cuvier, 1917 are both preoccupied. Orthichthys Gill, 1863 with Centriscus velitaris Pallas, 1776 as type species, however, appears to be the oldest available generic name for a species other than S. cornutus. Mohr (1937) rejected this name because Gill excluded the species C. scolopax and C. gracilis from his new genus. All three, however, are considered congeneric today.

Mohr's recognition of Macrorhamphosus Regan, 1914 is clearly invalid. Regan's use of Macrorhamphosus was not as a new genus, but an emendation of Lacepède's genus and as such takes the same type species. Although recognition of Macrorhamphosus Waite, 1899 would do the most to preserve stability of nomenclature, the same problem of type species applies and this name is clearly junior to Orthichthys Gill, 1863. We, therefore, choose to accept Günther's synonymy of Silurus cornutus Forsskål, 1775 with Centriscus scolopax Linnaeus, 1758, effectively establishing the latter as the type species of Macroramphosus Lacépède, 1803. We note that to formalise the decision a neotype should be designated for Forsskål's Silurus cornutus; we leave such action to the worker conducting the required family revision. We also note (with some regret) that our decision requires a change in spelling from current common usage of both the family and genus names, as was done by Wheeler (1973).

 

General References

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

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

Forsskål, P. 1775. Descriptiones Animalium Avium, Amphibiorum, Piscium, Insectorum, Vermium; quæ in Itinere Orientali observavit Petrus Forskål. Post Mortem Auctoris edidit Carsten Niebuhr. Adjuncta est Materia Medica Kakirina atque Tabula Maris Rubri Geographica. Hauniæ : Mölleri 1-19, i-xxxiv, 164 pp., 1 map.

Fritzsche, R.A. 1984. Gasterosteiformes: development and relationships. pp. 398-405 in Moser, H.G. et al. (eds). Ontogeny and Systematics of Fishes. American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. Special Publication 1: 1-760 [401]

Fritzsche, R.A. & Thiesfeld, K.G. 1999. Families Aulostomidae, Fistulariidae, Macrorhamphosidae, Centriscidae. pp. 2277-2282 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. [2280]

Gomon, M.F. 2008. Macroramphosidae. pp. 480-484 in Gomon, M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp.

Günther, A. 1861. Catalogue of the Fishes in the British Museum. Catalogue of the acanthopterygian fishes in the collection of the British Museum. London : British Museum Vol. 3 586 pp.

Keivany, Y. & J. Nelson 2006. Interrelationships of Gasterosteiformes (Actinopterygii, Percomorpha). Journal of Ichthyology 46(Suppl. 1): S84-S96

Klausewitz, W. & Nielsen, J.G. 1965. On Forsskål's collection of fishes in the Zoological Museum of Copenhagen. Spolia Zoologica Musei Hauniensis 22: 1-29 figs 1-3 pls 1-38

Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Seahorses, Pipefishes and Their Relatives. Chorleywood, UK : TMC Publishing 240 pp.

Kuiter, R.H. 2009. Seahorses and their relatives. Seaford, Australia : Aquatic Photographics pp. 331.

Lacépède, B.G. 1803. Histoire Naturelle des Poissons. Paris : chez Plassan Vol. 5 803 pp. 21 pls.

Leis, J.M. & Rennis, D.S. 2000. Centriscidae (Razorfish). pp. 203-206 in Leis, J.M. & Carson-Ewart, B.M. The larvae of Indo-Pacific coastal fishes. An identification guide to marine fish larvae. Fauna Malesiana Handbooks Leiden : Brill Vol. 2 870 pp. [203]

Mohr, E. 1937. Revision der Centriscidae (Acanthoptergii, Centrisciformes). Dana Reports 13: 1-69 figs 1-33 pls 1-2

Nelson, J.S., Grande, T.C. & Wilson, M.V.H. 2016. Fishes of the World. Hoboken, New Jersey : John Wiley & Sons 5, 752 pp.

Paxton, J.R., Gates, J.E., Bray, D.J. & Hoese, D.F. 2006. Macroramphosidae. pp. 851-855 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.

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.

Regan, T.C. 1914. A synopsis of the fishes of the family Macrorhamphosidae. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Zoology, Botany, Geology 8 13: 17-21

Wheeler, A.C. 1973. Family Macroramphosidae. 273 in Hureau, J.-C. & Monod, T. (eds). Checklist of the Fishes of the North-Eastern Atlantic and of the Mediterranean (CLOFNAM). Paris : UNESCO Vol. 1 683 pp.

Wilson, A.B. & Orr, J.W. 2011. The evolutionary origins of Syngnathidae: pipefishes and seahorses. Journal of Fish Biology 78(6): 1603–1623

 

Common Name References

Fritzsche, R.A. & Thiesfeld, K.G. 1999. Families Aulostomidae, Fistulariidae, Macrorhamphosidae, Centriscidae. pp. 2277-2282 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. [2280] (Razorfishes, Shrimpfishes, Snipefishes)

Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1990. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 507 pp. figs. [70] (Razorfishes, Shrimpfishes)

Sainsbury, K.J., Kailola, P.J. & Leyland, G.G. 1984. Continental Shelf Fishes of Northern and North-Western Australia. Canberra : Fisheries Information Service 375 pp. figs & pls. [88] (Razor-fishes)

Whitley, G.P. 1948. A list of the fishes of Western Australia. Western Australia Fish Department. Fisheries Bulletin 2: 1-35 map [14] (Bellows Fish, Razor Fish)

Whitley, G.P. 1966. Marine Fishes of Australia. Brisbane : Jacaranda Press Vol. 1 pp. 1-142. [42] (Bellowsfish)

 

History of changes

Published	As part of group	Action Date	Action Type	Compiler(s)
27-Jul-2017	SYNGNATHIFORMES	01-May-2017	MODIFIED	Dr Doug Hoese Dr Matthew Lockett
25-Jun-2015	SYNGNATHIFORMES	24-Feb-2015	MODIFIED	Dr Dianne Bray (NMV) Dr Doug Hoese (AM) Dr Matthew Lockett (AM)
		12-Feb-2010	(import)