Family MONOCENTRIDAE

Monocentridae

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Introduction

The family Monocentridae, the pineapple fishes, includes two genera and three or four species known from the Indo-Pacific (Kotlyar 1985; Paxton 1999; Nelson 2006). Two species in two genera have been recorded from Australian waters. They are also known by the names pinecone, knight, coat-of-mail, and port-and-starboard-light fishes.

Pineapple fishes are benthic in relatively shallow marine waters from 3-200 m. Large crustaceans have been found in the stomachs of Cleidopus examined in Australia. Monocentrids are distinctive in having heavy enlarged scales, stout fin spines and, on the lower jaw, light organs with luminous symbiotic bacteria. They are nocturnal predators with a maximum of 26.5 cm standard length.

The family has not been reviewed comprehensively. Schultz (1956) partly examined the family in a description of a new eastern Pacific species.

General References

Kotlyar, A.N. 1985. Taxonomy and distribution of the family Monocentridae (Beryciformes). Voprosy Ikhtiologii 25(4): 531-545

Nelson, J.S. 2006. Fishes of the World. Hoboken, New Jersey : John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 601 pp.

Paxton, J.R. 1999. Family Monocentridae. 2214 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, T.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 4 pp. 2069-2790.

Schultz, L.P. 1956. A new pinecone fish, Monocentris reedi, from Chile, a new family record for the eastern Pacific. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 106(3365): 237-239 pl. 1

Common Name References

Grant, E.M. 2002. Guide to Fishes. Redcliffe : EM Grant Pty Ltd 880 pp. [164] (Pine-cone Fishes)

Paxton, J.R. 1999. Family Monocentridae. 2214 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, T.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 4 pp. 2069-2790. [2214] (FAO) (Pineapple Fishes)

Sainsbury, K.J., Kailola, P.J. & Leyland, G.G. 1984. Continental Shelf Fishes of Northern and North-Western Australia. Canberra : Fisheries Information Service 375 pp. figs & pls. [84] (Pineapple-fishes)

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