Family POLYMIXIIDAE

Polymixiidae

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Introduction

The Polymixiidae comprise a single genus with 10 species (Paxton 1999; Paxton et al. 2006; Nelson 2006; Eschmeyer 2011). Three species have been taken in Australian waters, and a further two unidentified species are known from off Western Australia (Williams et al. 1996).

Beardfishes are bottom dwellers on the outer shelf and upper slope to about 650 m. Crustaceans and fishes have been found in their stomachs. They are characterised by having a conspicuous hyoid barbel, ctenoid scales, subabdominal pelvic fin with 1 spine and 6 soft rays and a single dorsal fin with 4–6 spines and 26–38 soft rays.

The polymixiids were reviewed by Lachner (1955), Woods & Sonoda (1973) and Kotlyar (1984). Yamane & Okamura (1966) revised Japanese specimens and Kotlyar (1992) treated some species.

General References

Eschmeyer, W.N. 2011. Catalog of Fishes. Online version updated 29 March 2011. http://research.calacademy.org/redirect?url=http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/Ichthyology/catalog/fishcatmain.asp

Kotlyar, A.N. 1984. Systematics and distribution of fishes of the family Polymixidae (Polymixioidei, Beryciformes). Voprosy Ikhtiologii 24(5): 691-708 figs 1-8 [in Russian, English transl. J. Ichthyol. 24(6): 1–20]

Kotlyar, A.N. 1992. A new species of the genus Polymixia from the submarine Kyushu-Palau Ridge, and notes on other representatives of the genus (Polymixiidae, Beryciformes). Voprosy Ikhtiologii 32(6): 11-26 [in Russian; English translation in J. Ichthyol. 1993, 33(3): 30–49]

Lachner, E.A. 1955. Populations of the berycoid fish family Polymixiidae. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 105(3356): 189-206 pl. 1

Nelson, J.S. 2006. Fishes of the World. Hoboken, New Jersey : John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 601 pp. [231]

Paxton, J.R. 1999. Family Polymixiidae. pp. 1976-1977 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.

Paxton, J.R., Gates, J.E. & Hoese, D.F. 2006. Polymixiidae. pp. 547-548 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. [547]

Williams, A., Last, P.R., Gomon, M.F. & Paxton, J.R. 1996. Species composition and checklist of the demersal ichthyofauna of the continental slope off Western Australia (20–35º). Records of the Western Australian Museum 18: 135-155 [147]

Woods, L.P. & Sonoda, P.M. 1973. Order Berycomorphi (Beryciformes). pp. 263-396 figs 1-66 in Cohen, D.M. (ed.). Fishes of the western North Atlantic. Halosuriforms, Killfishes, Squirrelfishes and other Beryciforms, Stephanoberyciforms, Grenadiers. Yale University : The Sears Foundation of Marine Research Mem. I Pt 6 698 pp.

Yamane, S. & Okamura, O. 1966. A review of the Pacific species of the berycoid fish belonging to the genus Polymixia. Bulletin of the Misaki Marine Biological Institute. Kyoto University 9: 13-20

Common Name References

Paxton, J.R. 1999. Family Polymixiidae. pp. 1976-1977 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. [1976] (FAO) (Beardfishes)

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