Introduction

The Sicklefishes are sometimes inlucded in the family Ephippidae (Nelson 2006; Allen et al. 2006). However we follow Heemstra (2001), Leis & Carson-Ewart (2000) and Lloris & Rucabado (1987) in treating the group as a separate family. The family contains a single genus and three species (one found only in the Atlantic). Both Pacific species are known from Australia.

The species are found over soft bottoms on the continental shelf and sometimes are found in estuaries. There is a significant fishery for the species in Asia.

Maximum, length is 50 cm.

General References

Allen, G.R., Cross, N.J. & Allen, C.J. 2006. Family Ephippidae, Scatophagidae and Siganidae. pp. 1717-1728 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.

Heemstra, P.C. 2001. Drepanidae. pp. 3221-3223 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. 5 2791-3379 pp.

Leis, J.M. & Carson-Ewart, B.M. 2000. The larvae of Indo-Pacific coastal fishes. An identification guide to marine fish larvae. Fauna Malesiana Handbooks Leiden : Brill Vol. 2 870 pp.

Lloris, D. & Rucabado, J. 1987. Revisión sistematica y distribución de la familia Drepanidae (Pisces, Osteichthyes). Miscelánea Zoológica, Barcelona 11: 277-288

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

History of changes

• Drepane Cuvier, G.L. in Cuvier, G.L. & Valenciennes, A. 1831. Histoire Naturelle des Poissons. Paris : Levrault Vol. 7 531 pp. pls 170-208. [129].

  Type species:

   Chaetodon punctatus Linnaeus, 1758 by subsequent designation, see Jordan, D.S. 1917. The genera of fishes. Part 1. Stanford University Publications, University Series 27: 1-151 [136].

Distribution

States

Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Indo-west Pacific.

IMCRA

Northern Shelf Province (25), Northwest Shelf Transition (26), Northwest Shelf Province (27), Central Eastern Shelf Transition (39), Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)

General References

Lloris, D. & Rucabado, J. 1987. Revisión sistematica y distribución de la familia Drepanidae (Pisces, Osteichthyes). Miscelánea Zoológica, Barcelona 11: 277-288

Common Name References

Heemstra, P.C. 2001. Drepanidae. pp. 3221-3223 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. 5 2791-3379 pp. [3221] (Sicklefishes)

History of changes

• Chaetodon longimanus Bloch, M.E. & Schneider, J.G. 1801. Systema Ichthyologiae Iconibus ex Illustratum. Berlin 584 pp. 110 pls. [229] [derivation is probably from the Latin longus = long + manus = hand, referring to the long pectoral fin and could be regarded as a noun in apposition; however the name was treated as an adjective by Cuvier (1831), possibly believing the derivation was from the Greek manos = wide or in some cases manus with a prefix can become an adjective indicating handed, which is followed here with the genus feminine].

  Type data:

   Holotype ZMB 8165, Tranquebar, India.

Generic Combinations

• Drepane longimana (Bloch & Schneider, 1801). —
  Cuvier, G.L. in Cuvier, G.L. & Valenciennes, A. 1831. Histoire Naturelle des Poissons. Paris : Levrault Vol. 7 531 pp. pls 170-208. [133]

Distribution

States

Northern Territory, Queensland

Extra Distribution Information

Distribution in Australia poorly known, museum records from NW of Darwin, NT (130°17'E) and Cairns region, QLD; Tropical, Indo-west Pacific.

IMCRA

Northern Shelf Province (25), Northwest Shelf Transition (26), Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)

Ecological Descriptors

Coastal, continental shelf, estuary, inshore, soft bottom.

General References

Heemstra, P.C. 2001. Drepanidae. pp. 3221-3223 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. 5 2791-3379 pp. [3222]

Common Name References

Heemstra, P.C. 2001. Drepanidae. pp. 3221-3223 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. 5 2791-3379 pp. [3222] (FAO) (Sicklefish)

Kuiter, R.H. & Debelius, H. 2001. Surgeonfishes, Rabbitfishes and Their Relatives. A comprehensive guide to Acanthuroidei. Chorleywood, U.K. : TMC Publishing 208 pp. [204] (Banded Sicklefish)

Seafood Services Australia 2008. Australian Fish Names Standard. http://www.fishnames.com.au/. (Banded Sicklefish)

History of changes

• Chaetodon punctatus Linnaeus, C. 1758. Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundem classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentis, synonymis, locis. Editio decima, reformata. Holmiae : Laurentii Salvii Vol. 1 10 Edn., 824 pp. [273].

  Type data:

   Status unknown, whereabouts unknown, Asia.
• Drepane punctata Solander, D.C. in Richardson, J. 1842. Contributions to the ichthyology of Australia. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 1 10(62): 25-34 [28] [a secondary homonym of Chaetodon punctatus Linnaeus 1758].

  Type data:

   Status unknown, whereabouts unknown, Australia (as New Holland).

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Eschmeyer, W.N. 1998. Catalog of Fishes. San Francisco : California Academy of Sciences 2905 pp., 3 vols.

Generic Combinations

• Drepane punctata (Linnaeus, 1758). —
  Cuvier, G.L. in Cuvier, G.L. & Valenciennes, A. 1831. Histoire Naturelle des Poissons. Paris : Levrault Vol. 7 531 pp. pls 170-208. [132]
• Drepanichthys punctatus (Linnaeus, 1758). —
  McCulloch, A.R. 1929. A check-list of the fishes recorded from Australia. Part II. Memoirs of the Australian Museum 5: 145–329 [243] (Drepanichthys unnecessary replacement name for Drepane)

Distribution

States

Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Onslow, WA (21°38'S) to Bundaberg, QLD (24°52'S) and a single specimen in Queensland Museum from Moreton Bay, QLD (27°15'S); tropical, east-Indo-west Pacific.

IMCRA

Northern Shelf Province (25), Northwest Shelf Transition (26), Northwest Shelf Province (27), Central Eastern Shelf Transition (39), Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)

Distribution References

Ecological Descriptors

Continental shelf, estuary, inshore, soft bottom.

General References

Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 292 pp. 106 pls. [146]

Allen, G.R. & Swainston, R. 1988. The Marine Fishes of North-Western Australia. A field guide for anglers and divers. Perth, WA : Western Australian Museum vi 201 pp., 70 pls. [94] (601)

Heemstra, P.C. 2001. Drepanidae. pp. 3221-3223 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. 5 2791-3379 pp. [3223]

McCulloch, A.R. 1929. A check-list of the fishes recorded from Australia. Part II. Memoirs of the Australian Museum 5: 145–329 [243] (as Drepanichthys punctatus)

Sainsbury, K.J., Kailola, P.J. & Leyland, G.G. 1984. Continental Shelf Fishes of Northern and North-Western Australia. Canberra : Fisheries Information Service 375 pp. figs & pls. [240]

Whitley, G.P. 1964. A survey of Australian Ichthyology. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 89(1): 11-127 [43] (1309)

Common Name References

Allen, G.R. 1985. Fishes of Western Australia. Book 9. pp. 2207-2534 526 pls in Burgess, W.E. & Axelrod, H.R. (eds). Pacific Marine Fishes. Neptune, New Jersey : T.F.H. Publications. [2362] (Spotted Spadefish)

Allen, G.R. & Swainston, R. 1988. The Marine Fishes of North-Western Australia. A field guide for anglers and divers. Perth, WA : Western Australian Museum vi 201 pp., 70 pls. [94] (Sicklefish)

Grant, E.M. 1975. Guide to Fishes. Brisbane : Queensland Government, Co-ordinator General’s Department 640 pp. [397] (Butterfish, Sickle-fish)

Heemstra, P.C. 2001. Drepanidae. pp. 3221-3223 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. 5 2791-3379 pp. [3223] (FAO) (Spotted Sicklefish)

Kuiter, R.H. & Debelius, H. 2001. Surgeonfishes, Rabbitfishes and Their Relatives. A comprehensive guide to Acanthuroidei. Chorleywood, U.K. : TMC Publishing 208 pp. [204] (Spotted Sicklefish)

Marshall, T.C. 1964. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coastal Waters of Queensland. Sydney : Angus & Robertson 566 pp. 136 pls. [266] (Butter-fish, Peppercorn)

Pollard, J. (ed.) 1980. G.P. Whitley's Handbook of Australian Fishes. North Sydney : Jack Pollard Publishing Pty Ltd 629 pp. [191] (Concertinafish, Jetto, Silver Moonfish)

Sainsbury, K.J., Kailola, P.J. & Leyland, G.G. 1984. Continental Shelf Fishes of Northern and North-Western Australia. Canberra : Fisheries Information Service 375 pp. figs & pls. [240] (Spotted Batfish)

Seafood Services Australia 2008. Australian Fish Names Standard. http://www.fishnames.com.au/. (Sicklefish)

History of changes