Family CHLOROPHTHALMIDAE

Chlorophthalmidae

© Copyright Martin F. Gomon

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Introduction

Members of the Chlorophthalmidae occur on the outer shelf and slope of all three oceans. Two genera and 19 species are recognised worldwide (Eschmeyer 2011). In Australian waters, five species in one genus have been collected (Gomon et al. 2014). Some are undescribed and some names currently in use will change . In addition, an unidentified species of Parasudis occurs in the tropical waters of Western Australia.

Greeneyes are benthic fishes that inhabit the continental shelf and slope. They have large eyes, a moderate gape with the jaws not extending beyond the eyes, a protruding lower jaw and a moderate to long, usually depressed, snout. Recorded food items include bottom-dwelling invertebrates. Maximum length is about 40 cm.

The chlorophthalmids require a comprehensive revision as well as the redescription of the type specimens of the nominal Indo-Pacific species. Mead (1966) revised the North Atlantic species and Kamohara (1953) reviewed those from Japanese waters. Sato & Nakabo (2002) transferred eight species of Chlorophthalmus into the genus Paraulopus, Family Paraulopidae, and placed Bathysauroides and Bathysauropsis in separate families. Sulak (1977), Johnson (1982), Hartel & Stiassny (1986), Baldwin & Johnson (1996) and Davis (2010) discussed family relationships.

General References

Baldwin, C.C. & Johnson, G.D. 1996. Interrelationships of Aulopiformes. pp. 355-404 in Stiassny, M.L.J., Parenti, L.R. & Johnson, G.D. (eds). Interrelationships of Fishes. San Diego : Academic Press 496 pp.

Davis, M.P. 2010. Evolutionary relationships of the Aulopiformes (Euteleostei: Cyclosquamata): a molecular and total evidence approach. pp. 431-470 in Nelson, J.S., Schultze, H.-P. & Wilson, M.V.H. Origin and Phylogenetic Interrelationships of Teleosts. München, Germany : Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil 480 pp.

Eschmeyer, W.N. 2011. Catalog of Fishes. Online version updated 29 March 2011. http://research.calacademy.org/redirect?url=http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/Ichthyology/catalog/fishcatmain.asp

Gomon, M. F., Ward, R.D., Chapple, S. & Hale, J.M. 2014. The use of DNA barcode evidence for inferring species of Chlorophthalmus (Aulopiformes, Chlorophthalmidae) in the Indo-West Pacific. Marine and Freshwater Research 65: 1027–1034

Hartel, K.E. & Stiassny, L.J. 1986. The identification of larval Parasudis (Teleostei, Chlorophthalmidae); with notes on the anatomy and relationships of aulopiform fishes. Breviora. Museum of Comparative Zoology 487: 1-23

Johnson, R.K. 1982. Fishes of the families Evermannellidae and Scopelarchidae: systematics, morphology, interrelationships and zoogeography. Fieldiana Zoology ns 12: 1-252 figs 1-74

Kamohara, T. 1953. A review of the fishes of the family Chlorophthalmidae found in the waters of Japan. Japanese Journal of Ichthyology 3(1): 1-6 figs 1-4

Mead, G.W. 1966. Family Chlorophthalmidae. In, Olsen, Y.H. (ed.) Fishes of the western North Atlantic. Memoir. Sears Foundation of Marine Research 1(5): 162-189 figs 44-47

Sato, T. & Nakabo, T. 2002. Paraulopidae and Paraulopus, a new family and genus of aulopiform fishes with revised relationships within the order. Ichthyological Research 49: 25-46

Sulak, K.J. 1977. The systematics and biology of Bathypterois (Pisces, Chlorophthalmidae) with a revised classification of benthic myctophiform fishes. Galathea Report 14: 49-108 figs 1-32 pls 1-7

Common Name References

Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds) 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. Adelaide : State Printer 992 pp. 810 figs. [267] (Greeneyes)

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. [1921] (FAO) (Greeneyes)

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