Australian Biological Resources Study

Australian Faunal Directory

Ceratiidae

Ceratiidae

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CAAB: 37220000

Family CERATIIDAE

Caruncled Seadevils, Deepsea Anglerfishes, Oceanic Anglerfishes, Sea Devils, Seadevils


Compiler and date details

1 May 2015 - Dianne J. Bray, John R. Paxton, Jennifer E. Gates & Douglass F. Hoese

John R. Paxton & Jennifer E. Gates

Introduction

The family Ceratiidae, commonly known as sea devils or deepsea anglerfishes, occur at depths from 120 to 2000 m. Two genera and four species are recognised worldwide and four species in two genera have been recorded from Australian waters. The family was revised by Bertelsen (1951) and Pietsch (1986), and early Australian records were reviewed by Bertelsen & Pietsch (1983). Pietsch (2009) summarised knowledge of the family.

Recorded prey items of ceratiids include fishes and crustaceans. Females are characterised by having two or three caruncles before the soft dorsal fin and an oblique or vertical mouth cleft. Males are parasitic on the females and attain a maximum length of 6 cm. Female ceratiids are the largest of the deepsea anglerfishes and may reach 1.2 m.

 

History of changes

Note that this list may be incomplete for dates prior to September 2013.
Published As part of group Action Date Action Type Compiler(s)
25-Jun-2015 LOPHIIFORMES 04-Aug-2014 MODIFIED Dr Dianne Bray (NMV) Dr Doug Hoese (AM) Dr Matthew Lockett (AM)
04-Aug-2014 MODIFIED