Family DERICHTHYIDAE

Derichthyidae

© Copyright Ros Poole.

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Introduction

Worldwide, three species in two genera are currently recognised in the family Derichthyidae (Robins & Robins 1989; Nelson 2006). All three species have been collected from Australian waters. Recent molecular studies have suggested that the species currently placed into the Colocongridae also belong in this family (Nelson et al 2016).

The duck-billed eels and longneck eels are meso- and bathypelagic in warm waters of all oceans. A distinctive feature of the family, which includes both long-snouted and short-snouted species, is the series of raised parallel ridges behind the eye that are part of the sensory system. Duck-billed eels apparently reach a maximum size of about 33 cm.

Derichthyids have not been revised recently. Schmidt (1931) compared the species of Nessorhamphus and Smith (1999) presented a key to species.

General References

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

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. Derichthyidae. pp. 280-281 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. [280]

Robins, C.H. & Robins, C.R. 1989. Family Derichthyidae. pp. 420-431 in Böhlke, E.B. (ed.). Fishes of the Western North Atlantic. Orders Anguilliformes and Saccopharyngiformes. New Haven : The Sears Foundation of Marine Research, Yale University Pt 9 Vol. 1 655 pp.

Schmidt, J. 1931. Oceanographical expedition of the Dana, 1928–1930. Nature (London) 127(3204): 487-490 figs 4-6

Smith, D.G. 1999. Families Halosauridae, Notacanthidae, Lipogenyidae, Anguillidae, Moringuidae, Chlopsidae, Myrocongridae. pp. 1625-1642 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.

Common Name References

Paxton, J.R., Hoese, D.F., Allen, G.R. & Hanley, J.E. (eds) 1989. Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Pisces: Petromyzontidae to Carangidae. Canberra : Australian Government Publishing Service Vol. 7 665 pp. (Duck-billed Eels)

Smith, D.G. 1999. Families Colocongridae, Derichthyidae, Muraenesocidae, Nemichtyhyidae, Congridae, Nettastomatidae, Serrivomeridae, Cyematidae, Saccopharyngidae, Eurypharyngidae, Monognathidae. pp. 1670-1697 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. [1671] (FAO) (Longneck Eels)

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