Family GIGANTACTINIDAE
Deepsea Anglerfishes, Whipnose Anglerfishes, Whipnose Anglers
Compiler and date details
1 May 2015 - Dianne, J. Bray, John R. Paxton, Jennifer E. Gates & Douglass F. Hoese
John R. Paxton, Jennifer E. Gates & Douglass F. Hoese
Introduction
Currently, 22 species of gigantactinids are recognised in two worldwide genera (Nelson 2006). The two Australian species, reviewed by Bertelsen & Pietsch (1983), belong to one genus. The Gigantactinidae were revised by Bertelsen, Pietsch & Lavenberg (1981).
Whipnose anglers are meso- and bathypelagic in habit. Recorded prey items include squid and crustaceans. Females are characterised by having a very long body and illicium. The free-living males are much smaller than the females, which may attain 41 cm in length.
The record of Gigantactis sp. by Whitley (1964: 58 (sp. no. 2294)) is a larva that is unidentifiable to species.
General References
Bertelsen, E., Pietsch, T.W. & Lavenberg, R.J. 1981. Ceratioid anglerfishes of the family Gigantactinidae: morphology, systematics and distribution. Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History Contributions in Science 332: 1-74 figs 1-69
Bertelsen, E. & Pietsch, T.W. 1983. The ceratioid anglerfishes of Australia. Records of the Australian Museum 35(2): 77-99 figs 1-18
Nelson, J.S. 2006. Fishes of the World. Hoboken, New Jersey : John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 601 pp.
Whitley, G.P. 1964. A survey of Australian Ichthyology. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 89(1): 11-127
Common Name References
Anderson, M.E. & Leslie, R.W. 2001. Review of the deep-sea anglerfishes (Lophiiformes: Ceratioidei) of southern Africa. Ichthyological Bulletin of the J.L.B. Smith Institute, Grahamstown 70: 1-32 [22] (Whipnose Anglers)
Pietsch, T.W. 1999. Families Caulophrynidae, Neoceratiidae, Melanocetidae, Himantolophidae, Diceratiidae, Oneirodidae, Thaumatichthyidae, Centrophrynidae, Ceratiidae, Gigantactinidae, Linophrynidae. pp. 2026-2037 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. [2036] (Deepsea Anglerfishes, Whipnose Anglerfishes)
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12-Feb-2010 | (import) |