Family DIRETMIDAE

Diretmidae

© Copyright Ros Poole.

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Introduction

The Diretmidae comprise three genera and four species (Paxton 1999). In Australia, two species in two genera have been recorded.

Spinyfins are meso-bathypelagic to 2100 m; juveniles are epipelagic. These dark silvery fishes have a nearly vertical mouth, very large eyes, a deep compressed body and small spines at the bases of the dorsal and anal fin rays. Juveniles have a smaller eye and deeper body than adults. Maximum size attained is about 40 cm total length.

The spinyfins were reviewed by Post & Quéro (1981), who recognised three species in two genera from tropical and temperate waters worldwide. Kotlyar (1987, 1990) recognised four species in three genera. Watson (1996) described the larvae of one species, and Bray (2008) treated species from Australian waters.

General References

Bray, D.J. 2008. Family Diretmidae; Spinyfins. pp. 431-432 in Gomon, M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp. [431]

Kotlyar, A.N. 1987. Systematics and geographical distribution of the family Diretmidae (Beryciformes). Voprosy Ikhtiologii 27(6): 883-898 [in Russian]

Kotlyar, A.N. 1990. Diretmichthys, a new genus of Diretmidae (Beryciformes). Voprosy Ikhtiologii 30(1): 144-151

Paxton, J.R. 1999. Families Gibberichthyidae, Rondeletiidae, Barbourisiidae, Cetomimidae, Mirapinnidae, Megalomycteridae, Anoplogastridae, Diretmidae. pp. 2203-2211 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.

Post, A. & Quéro, J.C. 1981. Revision des Diretmidae (Pisces, Trachichthyoidei) de l'Atlantique avec description d'un noveau genre et d'une nouvelle espèce. Cybium 3 5(1): 33-60 figs 1-11

Watson, W. 1996. Diretmidae: spinyfins. pp. 679-681 in Moser, H.G. The early stages of fishes in the California Current region. Fisheries Investigations Atlas No. 33 Lawrence, Kansas : California Cooperative Oceanic Allen Press, Inc. 1505 pp. [680]

Common Name References

Paxton, J.R. 1999. Families Gibberichthyidae, Rondeletiidae, Barbourisiidae, Cetomimidae, Mirapinnidae, Megalomycteridae, Anoplogastridae, Diretmidae. pp. 2203-2211 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. [2211] (FAO) (Spinyfins)

Roberts, C.D. 2015. Families Anoplogastridae, Diretmidae and Monocentridae. pp. 1002-1008 in Roberts, C.D., Stewart, A.L. & Struthers, C.D. The Fishes of New Zealand. Wellington : Te Papa Press Vol. 3 pp. 577-1152. [1004] (Discfishes)

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