Family HIMANTOLOPHIDAE

Himantolophidae

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Introduction

The deepsea anglerfish family Himantolophidae was revised by Bertelsen & Krefft (1988) who recognised 18 species in one genus. A single Australian species was examined by Bertelsen & Pietsch (1983). Subsequently three additional species have been found and some material is still unidentified to species. Himantolophus cornifer Bertelsen & Pietsch, 1988 is known from the Coral Sea just east of Australia and is likely to occur in Australian waters. Knowledge of the groups is summarised by Pietsch (2009).

Footballfishes are mesopelagic worldwide. Recorded prey items include fishes, crustaceans and squid. Females are characterised by having large, bony plates in the skin, dermal papillae on the snout and lower jaw, and a large esca. The free-living males are much smaller than the females, which may attain a maximum length of 61 cm.

General References

Bertelsen, E. & Krefft, G. 1988. The ceratioid family Himantolophidae (Pisces, Lophiiformes). Steenstrupia 14(2): 9-89

Bertelsen, E. & Pietsch, T.W. 1983. The ceratioid anglerfishes of Australia. Records of the Australian Museum 35(2): 77-99 figs 1-18

Pietsch, T.W. 2009. Oceanic Anglerfishes. Extraordinary Diversity in the Deep Sea. Berkeley and Los Angeles : University of California Press pp. i-xii + 1-557.

Pietsch, T.W. & Kenaley, C.P. 2011. A new species of deep-sea ceratioid anglerfish, genus Himantolophus (Lophiiformes: Himantolophidae), from southern waters of all three major oceans of the world. Copeia 2011(4): 490-496

Common Name References

Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds) 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. Adelaide : State Printer 992 pp. 810 figs. [299] (Prickly Deepsea Anglerfishes)

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. [2029] (FAO) (Footballfishes)

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