Family ONEIRODIDAE

Oneirodidae

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Introduction

The Oneirodidae, known as dreamers, are the largest family of deepsea anglerfishes. At least 62 species in 16 genera are known worldwide in the meso- and bathypelagic zones, between 300 and 3000 m (Ho & Shao 2004; Pietsch & Kharin 2004). The Australian species were reviewed recently by Bertelsen & Pietsch (1983) who recorded five species in three genera, but following recent work these figures have been revised to seven species in four genera. Pietsch (1972, 1974, 1975) and Pietsch & Seigel (1980) partly revised the family. Orr (1991) presented a key to species of Oneirodes.

Recorded prey items for oneirodids include fishes and crustaceans. The females of this large family have few distinguishing characters. Most Australian species have naked skin and strong sphenotic spines. Free-living males are much smaller than the females. Maximum size for the family is about 21.5 cm.

General References

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

Ho, H.-C. & Shao, K.-T. 2004. New species of deep-sea ceratioid anglerfish, Oneirodes pietschi (Lophiiformes: Oneirodidae), from the north Pacific Ocean. Copeia 2004(1): 74-77

Orr, J.W. 1991. A new species of the ceratioid anglerfish genus Oneirodes (Oneirodidae) from the western north Atlantic, with a revised key to the genus. Copeia 1991(4): 1024-1031

Pietsch, T.W. 1972. Ergebnisse der Forschungsreisen des FFS Walther Herwig nach Südamerika. 19. Systematics and distribution of ceratioid fishes of the genus Dolopichthys (family Oneirodidae), with the description of a new species. Archiv für Fischereiwissenschaft 23(1): 1-28 figs 1-12

Pietsch, T.W. 1974. Osteology and relationships of ceratioid anglerfishes of the family Oneirodidae with a review of the genus Oneirodes Lütken. Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History Science Bulletin 18: 1-113 figs 1-116

Pietsch, T.W. 1975. Systematics and distribution of ceratioid anglerfishes of the genus Chaenophryne (family Oneirodidae). Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard 147(2): 75-100 figs 1-12

Pietsch, T.W. & Kharin, V.E. 2004. Pietschichthys horridus Kharin, 1989: a junior synonym of Dermatias platynogaster Smith and Radcliffe, in Radcliffe, 1912 (Lophiiformes: Oneirodidae), with a revised key to oneirodid genera. Copeia 2004(1): 122-127

Pietsch, T.W. & Seigel, J.A. 1980. Ceratioid anglerfishes of the Philippine Archipelago, with descriptions of five new species. Fishery Bulletin (U.S.) 78(2): 379-399 figs 1-18

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. [301] (Dreamers)

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. [2031] (FAO) (Dreamers)

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