Family CHIASMODONTIDAE

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Introduction

Chiasmodontids, or swallowers, occur worldwide in tropical, subtropical and temperate oceanic environments. Four genera and about 15 species were recognised by Nelson (2006), but since that time 18 additional species have been described, bringing the total to between 30 and 32. The Australian fauna is represented by all the four genera and seven named species.

Chiasmodontids are meso- and bathypelagic in depths normally below 800 m. Only a few collections are available for these depths in Australian waters and it is likely that other species will be recorded. Maximum size is 26 cm.

Dysalotus and Kali were revised by (Johnson & Cohen 1974). A regional account for South African waters (Johnson & Keene 1986) included three genera and nine species. Melo (2008) revised Kali. Melo (2009) revised Chiasmodon. Melo (2010) revised Pseudoscopelus. Prokofiev & Kukev (2006) and Prokofiev (2008, 2011) have also studied the group, disagreeing in some cases with the work of Melo. Some Australian material has not been reported on and additional species may be present in Australia.

 

General References

Eschmeyer, W.N. & Fong, J.D. 2012. Species of Fishes by family/subfamily. Catalog of Fishes. Online version updated 15 March 2012. http://research.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/SpeciesByFamily.asp

Johnson, R.K. & Cohen, D.M. 1974. Results of the research cruises of FRV Walther Herwig to South America. 30. Revision of the chiasmodontid fish genera Dysalotus and Kali, with descriptions of two new species. Archiv für Fischereiwissenschaft 25(1/2): 13-46 figs 1-17

Johnson, R.K. & Keene, M.J. 1986. Family No. 228: Chiasmodontidae. pp. 731-734, 10 figs in Smith, M.M. & Heemstra, P.C. (eds). Smith's Sea Fishes. Johannesburg : Macmillan South Africa xx + 1047 pp. 144 pls.

Melo, M. R. S 2010. A revision of the genus Pseudoscopelus Lütken (Chiasmodontidae: Acanthomorphata) with descriptions of three new species. Zootaxa 2710: 1-78 [Date published 3 Dec.]

Melo, M. R. S. 2008. The genus Kali Lloyd (Chiasmodontidae: Teleostei) with description of new two [sic] species, and the revalidation of K. kerberti Weber. Zootaxa 1747: 1-33 [Date published 11 April]

Melo, M. R. S. 2009. Revision of the genus Chiasmodon (Acanthomorpha: Chiasmodontidae), with the description of two new species. Copeia 3: 583-608

Melo, M.R.S., H.J. Walker, Jr. & C. Klepadlo. 2007. Two new species of Pseudoscopelus (Teleostei: Chiasmodontidae), with a new diagnosis for the genus. Zootaxa 1605: 33-46

Mooi, R.D. & Paxton, J.R. 2001. Family Chiasmodontidae. pp. 3495-3496 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. 6 pp. 3381-4218.

Nelson, J.S. 2006. Fishes of the World. Hoboken, New Jersey : John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 601 pp.

Prokofiev, A.M. 2008. Two new species of swallowerfishes of the genera Chiasmodon and Kali (Chiasmodontidae). Journal of Ichthyology 48(3): 209-216

Prokofiev, A.M. 2011. Swallowerfishes (Chiasmodontidae) from the northwestern part of the Pacific Ocean and adjacent waters. Journal of Ichthyology 51(9): 695-716

Prokofiev, A.M. & Kukuev, E.I. 2006. Two new species of linebellies (Genus Pseudoscopelus) with a revised key of species (Perciformes: Chiasmodontidae). Journal of Ichthyology 46(Suppl. 1): 21-37

 

Common Name References

Smith, M.M. & Heemstra, P.C. (eds) 1986. Smith's Sea Fishes. Johannesburg : Macmillan South Africa xx + 1047 pp. 144 pls. [731] (Swallowers)

 

History of changes

Published	As part of group	Action Date	Action Type	Compiler(s)
08-Oct-2015	TRACHINOIDEI	08-Sep-2015	MODIFIED	Dr Dianne Bray (NMV) Dr Doug Hoese (AM) Dr Matthew Lockett (AM)
22-Sep-2011		22-Sep-2011	MODIFIED
		12-Feb-2010	(import)