Family NOTACANTHIDAE

Notacanthidae: Notacanthus

© Copyright Ros Poole.

Notacanthidae: Lipogenys

© Copyright Ros Poole.

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Introduction

Members of the Notacanthidae were revised by McDowell (1973), who recognised nine species in two genera worldwide, removing Lipogenys to a separate family. Nelson (1994, 2006) recognised three genera (including Lipogenys) and 10 species. Nelson et al. (2016) recognised 11 species in three genera including Lipogenys. Smith (1999) presented a key to genera, but also included Lipogenys in a separate family. However, Lipogenys is here included in the Notacanthidae. Four species in three genera are found in Australian waters, with an additional species from external territories. Material is held in museums in Australia from tropical regions, which has not been studied, and additional species are likely to occur in Australia. Smith (2008) treated species found off the southern coast and Stewart & Struthers (2015) treated species from New Zealand, with most of those species also known form Australia.

Spiny eels are benthic fishes found from the outer shelf to the deep sea below 3000 m. Maximum size 1 m.

General References

McDowell, S.B. 1973. Suborder Notacanthoidei, family Notacanthidae. In, Cohen, D.M. (ed.) Fishes of the western North Atlantic. Memoir. Sears Foundation of Marine Research 1(6): 124-207 figs 14-16

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. [113]

Nelson, J.S., Grande, T.C. & Wilson, M.V.H. 2016. Fishes of the World. Hoboken, New Jersey : John Wiley & Sons 5, 752 pp.

Smith, D.G. 1999. Families Halosauridae, Notacanthidae, Lipogenyidae, Anguillidae, Moringuidae, Chlopsidae, Myrocongridae. pp. 1625-1642 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.

Smith, D.G. 2008. Family Notacanthidae. pp. 185-186 in Gomon, M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp.

Stewart, A.L. & Struthers, C.D. 2015. Families Halosauridae, Notacanthidae. pp. 206-217 in Roberts, C.D., Stewart, A.L. & Struthers, C.D. The Fishes of New Zealand. Wellington : Te Papa Press Vol. 2 pp. 1-576.

Common Name References

Nelson, J.S. 2006. Fishes of the World. Hoboken, New Jersey : John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 601 pp. [113] (Spiny Eels)

Smith, D.G. 1999. Families Halosauridae, Notacanthidae, Lipogenyidae, Anguillidae, Moringuidae, Chlopsidae, Myrocongridae. pp. 1625-1642 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. [1627] (FAO) (Spiny Eels)

Whitley, G.P. 1948. A list of the fishes of Western Australia. Western Australia Fish Department. Fisheries Bulletin 2: 1-35 map [13] (Spinebacks)

History of changes