Family MELANONIDAE

Melanonidae

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Introduction

The Melanonidae comprise a single genus and two species. Both species occur in Australian waters.

Melanonids are mesopelagic and bathypelagic in all tropical and temperate oceans. A distinctive feature is the presence of numerous, parallel, fleshy neuromast-bearing ridges on the head. Maximum size is about 27 cm.

The melanonids have not been revised. One species was briefly described and figured by Ayling & Cox (1982) and Chui & Markle (1990). Cohen (1986, 1990) treated both species in the family, as did Cohen (1986), Paulin et al. (1989) and Gomon (2008) all of whom provided a key to species.

General References

Ayling, T. & Cox, G.J. 1982. Collins Guide to the Seafishes of New Zealand. Auckland : Collins 343 pp. 48 pls 475 figs.

Chiu, T.S. & Markle, D.F. 1990. Melanonidae. pp. 188-189 in Gon, O. & Heemstra, P.C. (eds). Fishes of the Southern Ocean. Grahamstown : J.L.B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology 462 pp.

Cohen, D.M. 1986. Melanonidae. pp. 328-329 in Smith, M.M. & Heemstra, P.C. (eds). Smith's Sea Fishes. Johannesburg : Macmillan South Africa xx + 1047 pp. 144 pls.

Cohen, D.M. 1990. Family Melanonidae. 138 in Cohen, D.M., Inada, T., Iwamoto, T. & Scialabba, N. FAO Species Catalogue. Gadiform fishes of the world (order Gadiformes). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of cods, hakes, grenadiers and other gadiform fishes known to date. FAO Fisheries Synopsis No. 125. Rome : FAO Vol. 10 442 pp.

Gomon, M.F. 2008. Family Melanonidae. pp. 349 in Gomon, M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp.

Paulin, C., Stewart, A., Roberts, C. & McMillan, P. 1989. New Zealand fish: a complete guide. National Museum of New Zealand Miscellaneous Series 19: 1-279 [120]

Paxton, J.R., Gates, J.E., Bray, D.J. & Hoese, D.F. 2006. Melanonidae. pp. 618-619 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.

Common Name References

Gomon, M.F. 1994. Families Moridae, Melanonidae, Euclichthyidae, Merlucciidae. pp. 324-340 figs 290-303 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. [336] (Melanonids)

Nelson, J.S. 1994. Fishes of the World. New York : John Wiley & Sons 600 pp. [233] (Pelagic Cods)

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