Family GONOSTOMATIDAE

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Introduction

The Gonostomatidae include eight genera and about 31 species (Eschmeyer & Fong 2012, Nelson et al. 2016). Sixteen species in six genera have been taken in Australian waters. Previously, Grey (1964) included genera now placed in the family Phosichthyidae. The classifications of Weitzman (1974), Nelson (1994) and Nelson et al. (2016) are followed here, recognising Gonostomatidae and Phosichthyidae as distinct families. Nelson (2006) provisionally placed three genera usually included in Gonostomatidae into a separate family, the Diplophidae. Wiley & Johnson (2010) also recognise this arrangement, however, it is not used here. Miya and Nishida (2002) discussed relationships of Gonostoma.

Lightfishes and bristlemouths are meso- and bathypelagic in the waters of all oceans. Recorded food items include small fishes and crustaceans. Lightfishes are compressed, moderately elongate fishes with ventral rows of light organs. They differ from the closely related Sternoptychidae by having more branchiostegal rays and photophores, and a different photophore microstructure. They also differ from phosichthyids in the microstructure of the light organ, as well as having more pectoral radials. A few lightfishes attain 25 cm in length.

Grey (1964) reviewed the gonostomatids of the western North Atlantic. For the Pacific region, Kawaguchi (1971) described the species from the north-west and Spanovskaya & Grigorash (1979) reviewed the distribution of species from the south-west. Harold (1999) provided a key to genera occurring in Australia. The relationships of the family are discussed by Harold (1998). Harold & Gomon (2008) treated species found in southern Australia. Kenaley & Stewart (2015) treated most species known from Australia.

 

General References

Eschmeyer, W.N. & Fong, J.D. 2012. Species of Fishes by family/subfamily. Catalog of Fishes. Online version updated 15 March 2012. http://research.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/SpeciesByFamily.asp

Grey, M. 1964. Family Gonostomatidae. pp. 78-240 figs 21-61 in Olsen, Y.H. Fishes of the western North Atlantic. Memoir. Sears Foundation of Marine Research 1(4): 1-599

Harold, A.S. 1998. Phylogenetic relationships of the Gonostomatidae (Teleostei: Stomiiformes). Bulletin of Marine Science 62(3): 715-741

Harold, A.S. 1999. Families Gonostomatidae, Sternoptychidae, Phosichthyidae, Astronesthidae, Stomiidae, Chauliodontidae, Melanostomiidae, Idiacanthidae, Malacosteidae. pp. 1896-1917 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.

Harold, A.S. & Gomon, M.F. 2008. Various family accounts. pp. 225 in Gomon, M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp.

Kawaguchi, K. 1971. Gonostomatid fishes of the western North Pacific. Japanese Journal of Ichthyology 18(1): 1-16 figs 1-7 pls 1-3

Kenaley, C.P. & Stewart, A.L. 2015. Families Diplophidae, Gonostomatidae, Phosichthyidae. pp. 420-445 in Roberts, C.D., Stewart, A.L. & Struthers, C.D. The Fishes of New Zealand. Wellington : Te Papa Press Vol. 2 pp. 1-576.

Miya, M. & Nishida, M. 2000. Molecular systematics of the deep-sea fish genus Gonostoma (Stomiiformes: Gonostomatidae): two paraphyletic clades and resurrection of Sigmops. Copeia 2000(2): 378-389

Nelson, J.S. 1994. Fishes of the World. New York : John Wiley & Sons 600 pp.

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.

Spanovskaya, V.D. & Grigorash, V.A. 1979. Gonostomatids (Fam. Gonostomatidae) of the Australian-New Zealand region. Trudy Instituta Okeanologii. Akademiya Nauk SSSR. Moskva 106: 57-68 figs 1-2 [in Russian]

Weitzman, S.H. 1974. Osteology and evolutionary relationships of the Sternoptychidae, with a new classification of stomiatoid families. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 153(3): 327-478 figs 1-113

Wiley, E.O. & Johnson, G.D. 2010. A teleost classification based on monophyletic groups. pp. 123-182 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.

 

Common Name References

Harold, A.S. 1999. Families Gonostomatidae, Sternoptychidae, Phosichthyidae, Astronesthidae, Stomiidae, Chauliodontidae, Melanostomiidae, Idiacanthidae, Malacosteidae. pp. 1896-1917 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. [1896] (FAO) (Bristlemouths)

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. (Lightfishes)

 

History of changes

Published	As part of group	Action Date	Action Type	Compiler(s)
11-Sep-2020	STOMIIFORMES	10-Sep-2019	MODIFIED	Dr Dianne Bray (NMV) Dr Doug Hoese (AM) Dr Matthew Lockett (AM)
		12-Feb-2010	(import)