• Hypnos Duméril, A.H.A. 1852. Monographie de la famille des torpédiniens, ou poissons plagiostomes électriques. Revue et Magasin de Zoologie (Paris) 2 4: 270-285 [277].

  Type species:

   Hypnos subnigrum Duméril, 1852 (= Lophius monopterygius Shaw & Nodder, 1795) by monotypy.
• Hypnarce Waite, E.R. 1902. Notes on fishes from Western Australia, No. 2. Records of the Australian Museum 4(5): 179-194 [180] [replacement name; unnecessary replacement name and not preoccupied by Hypna in insects].

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Whitley, G.P. 1931. New names for Australian fishes. The Australian Zoologist 6(4): 310-334 1 fig. pls 25-27 [328]

Introduction

Duméril (1852) treated the generic name as neuter, by use of the species name subnigrum. However, the name appears to have been derived from the Greek god for sleep, Hypnos and is normally treated as masculine. Hypnarche was introduced as a replacement name, believing the Hypnos was preoccupied by Hypna in insects. Whitley (1931), regarded the names as not being homonyms, but subsequently Whitley (1940) accepted Hypnarche as the correct name. We follow current usage in recognising Hypnos as valid.

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Australian Endemic.

IMCRA

Northwest Shelf Province (27), Central Western Shelf Transition (28), Central Western Shelf Province (29), Southwest Shelf Transition (30), Southwest Shelf Province (31), Great Australian Bight Shelf Transition (32), Spencer Gulf Shelf Province (33), Southeast Shelf Transition (37), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38), Central Eastern Shelf Transition (39), Northeast Shelf Province (40)

General References

Whitley, G.P. 1931. New names for Australian fishes. The Australian Zoologist 6(4): 310-334 1 fig. pls 25-27 [329]

Whitley, G.P. 1940. The Fishes of Australia. Part 1. The sharks, rays, devil-fish, and other primitive fishes of Australia and New Zealand. Sydney : Roy. Zool. Soc. N.S.W. 280 pp. 303 figs. [165]

History of changes

• Lophius monopterygius Shaw, G. & Nodder, F.P. 1795. The Naturalist's Miscellany, or coloured figures of natural objects; drawn and described from nature. London Vol. 6 pls 196–230, unnumbered pages. [for date of publication Sherborn, C.D. 1895. On the dates of Shaw and Nodder's Naturalist's Miscellany. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 6 15(88): 375–376 [376]] [pls 202-203].

  Type data:

   Status unknown, whereabouts unknown, Australian seas.
• Hypnos subnigrum Duméril, A.H.A. 1852. Monographie de la famille des torpédiniens, ou poissons plagiostomes électriques. Revue et Magasin de Zoologie (Paris) 2 4: 270-285 [279, pl. 12].

  Type data:

   Syntype(s) MNHP 1230 ♀, Sydney, NSW.

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Whitley, G.P. 1931. New names for Australian fishes. The Australian Zoologist 6(4): 310-334 1 fig. pls 25-27 [328]

Generic Combinations

• Hypnos monopterygium (Shaw & Nodder, 1795). —
  Whitley, G.P. 1931. New names for Australian fishes. The Australian Zoologist 6(4): 310-334 1 fig. pls 25-27 [328]
• Hypnarche monopterygium (Shaw & Nodder, 1795). —
  Whitley, G.P. 1940. Illustrations of some Australian fishes. The Australian Zoologist 9(4): 397-428 figs 1-45 pls 30-31 [165]
• Hypnarche subnigrum (Duméril, 1852). —
  Garman, S. 1913. The Plagiostomia (sharks, skates and rays). Memoirs of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University 36: 1-528 pls 1-77 [304]

Miscellaneous Literature Names

• Hypnarche subnigra Duméril, 1852. —
  McCulloch, A.R. 1929. A check-list of the fishes recorded from Australia. Part I. Memoirs of the Australian Museum 5: 1–144 [25]

Introduction

Note that the species name is normally spelled monopterygium, which has been used since Whitley (1931) first used the name in Australia. The name is technically a noun and the original spelling is retained here, although transliterations of the Greek pteryx and pteron are complex.

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Heron Island, QLD (23º27'S) to Eden, NSW and St Vincents Gulf, SA to Kendrew Island, WA (20º29´S); temperate.

Australian Endemic.

IMCRA

Northwest Shelf Province (27), Central Western Shelf Transition (28), Central Western Shelf Province (29), Southwest Shelf Transition (30), Southwest Shelf Province (31), Great Australian Bight Shelf Transition (32), Spencer Gulf Shelf Province (33), Southeast Shelf Transition (37), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38), Central Eastern Shelf Transition (39), Northeast Shelf Province (40)

Distribution References

Ecological Descriptors

Benthic, continental shelf, continental slope, estuary, inshore, marine, soft bottom.

Extra Ecological Information

To 220 m.

General References

Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 292 pp. 106 pls. [46] (as Hypnos monopterygium)

Coleman, N. 1980. Australian Sea Fishes South of 30ºS. Lane Cove, NSW : Doubleday Australia Pty Ltd 309 pp. [35] (as Hypnos monopterygium)

Compagno, L.J.V. & Last, P.R. 1999. Families Narkidae, Hypnidae, Torpedinidae. pp. 1443-1451 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. [1447] (as Hypnos monopterygium)

Gomon, M.F. 2008. Families Torpedinidae to Rhinobatidae. pp. 101-107 in Gomon, M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp. [103] (as Hypnos monopterygium)

Grant, E.M. 2002. Guide to Fishes. Redcliffe : EM Grant Pty Ltd 880 pp. [70] (as Hypnos monopterygium)

Kuiter, R.H. 1993. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 437 pp. [15] (as Hypnos monopterygium)

Last, P.R. 1994. Families Torpedinidae, Rajiidae, Rhinobatidae. pp. 154-172 figs 132-149 in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. Adelaide : State Printer 992 pp. 810 figs. [154] (as Hypnos monopterygium)

Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. 1994. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Canberra : CSIRO Australia 513 pp. 84 pls. [372] (as Hypnos monopterygium)

Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. 2009. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Collingwood : CSIRO Publishing Australia 2, 550 pp. [324]

McCulloch, A.R. 1929. A check-list of the fishes recorded from Australia. Part I. Memoirs of the Australian Museum 5: 1–144 [25] (as Hypnarce subnigra)

Munro, I.S.R. 1961. Handbook of Australian fishes. Nos 1–42. Australian Fisheries Newsletter 15–17, 19, 20: 1-172 [published as separates 1956–1961] [20] (141, as Hypnos monopterygium)

Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1990. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 507 pp. figs. [28] (as Hypnos monopterygium)

Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 557 pp. figs. [28] (as Hypnos monopterygium)

Whitley, G.P. 1964. A survey of Australian Ichthyology. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 89(1): 11-127 [34] (137, as Hypnos monopterygium)

Common Name References

Coleman, N. 1980. Australian Sea Fishes South of 30ºS. Lane Cove, NSW : Doubleday Australia Pty Ltd 309 pp. [35] (Short-tailed Electric Ray)

Compagno, L.J.V. & Last, P.R. 1999. Families Narkidae, Hypnidae, Torpedinidae. pp. 1443-1451 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. [1447] (Coffin Ray)

Daley, R.K., Stevens, J.D., Last, P.R. & Yearsley, G.K. 2002. Field Guide to Australian Sharks & Rays. Hobart : CSIRO Marine Research 84 pp. [61] (Short-tail Electric Ray)

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. [155] (Australian Numbfish, Crampfish)

Grant, E.M. 1975. Guide to Fishes. Brisbane : Queensland Government, Co-ordinator General’s Department 640 pp. [70] (Cramp-fish, Electric Ray, Torpedo)

Kuiter, R.H. 1993. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 437 pp. [15] (Numbfish)

Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. 1994. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Canberra : CSIRO Australia 513 pp. 84 pls. [372] (Numbie)

Parish, S. 1974. Australia's Ocean of Life. Newport, Victoria : Wedneil Publications 128 pp. [32] (Numb-fish)

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

Stead, D.G. 1963. Sharks and Rays of Australian Seas. Sydney : Angus & Robertson 211 pp. 63 figs. [145] (Large Numbfish)

History of changes