Introduction

The order Polymixiiformes contains a single family, Polymixiidae (Nelson 2006; Wiley & Johnson 2010). Nelson (2006) and Eschmeyer (2011) both recognise a single genus with 10 species. Relationships and diagnostic characters are discussed by Stiassny (1986), Patterson & Rosen (1989), Stiassny & Moore (1992) and Johnson & Patterson (1993). Hoese (2006), following Nelson (2006), placed the order in the superorder Polymixiomorpha, however, WIley & Johnson (2010) placed the Polymixiiformes as the single order in their new Division Polymixiacea. The group is thought to be the sister group to all the remaining most recent groups of fishes.

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

Hoese, D.F. 2006. Superorder Polymixiomorpha. pp. 545 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.

Johnson, G.D. & Patterson, C. 1993. Percomorph phylogeny: a survey of acanthomorphs and a new proposal. Bulletin of Marine Science 52(1): 554-626

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

Patterson, C. & Rosen, D.E. 1989. The Paracanthopterygii revisited: order and disorder. pp. 5-36 in Cohen, D.M. (ed.). Papers on the systematics of gadiform fishes. Science Series. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County 32: 1-262

Stiassny, M.L.J. 1986. The limits and relationships of the acanthomorph teleosts. Journal of Zoology, London B 1: 411-460

Stiassny, M.L.J. & Moore, J.A. 1992. A review of the pelvic girdle of acanthomorph fishes, with comments on hypotheses of acanthomorph intrarelationships. Journal of the Linnean Society of London, Zoology 104: 209-242

Wiley, E.O. & Johnson, G.D. 2010. A teleost classification based on monophyletic groups. pp. 123-182 in Nelson, J.S., Schultze, H.-P. & Wilson, M.V.H. Origin and Phylogenetic Interrelationships of Teleosts. München, Germany : Verlag Dr. Friedrich Pfeil 480 pp. [147]

Common Name References

Nelson, J.S. 2006. Fishes of the World. Hoboken, New Jersey : John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 601 pp. [230] (Beardfishes)

History of changes

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)

History of changes

• Polymixia Lowe, R.T. 1836. Piscum Maderensium species quaedam novae, vel minus rite cognitae breviter descriptae. Transactions of the Cambridge Philiosophical Society 6(1): 195-202 pls 1-5 [for publication date Neave, S.A. 1940. Nomenclator Zoologicus. A List of the Names of Genera and Subgenera in Zoology from the Tenth Edition of Linnaeus 1758 to the end of 1935. London : Zoological Society of London Vol. 3 pp. 1065. [157]] [198].

  Type species:

   Polymixia nobilis Lowe, 1836 by monotypy.

Excluded Taxa

Misidentifications

POLYMIXIIDAE: Polymixia nobilis Lowe, 1836 — 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] [22] (restricted to Atlantic Ocean)

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Circumglobal.

IMCRA

Southeast Transition (11), Central Eastern Province (12), Tasman Basin Province (13), Central Eastern Transition (15), Kenn Transition (16), Kenn Province (17), Northeast Province (18), Northeast Transition (19), Timor Province (2), Cape Province (20), Northwest Shelf Province (27), Northwest Transition (3), Southeast Shelf Transition (37), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38), Central Eastern Shelf Transition (39), Northwest Province (4), Central Western Transition (5), Central Western Province (6)

History of changes

• Polymixia berndti Gilbert, C.H. 1905. The deep-sea fishes. In, Jordan, D.S. & Evermann, B.W. The aquatic resources of the Hawaiian Islands. Bulletin of the United States Fish Commission 23(2): 575-713 figs 230-276 pls 66-101 [616, pl. 78].

  Type data:

   Holotype USNM 51607, Honolulu market, Oahu Island, Hawaiian Islands.
  Paratype(s) CAS(SU) 8563.

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

West of Green Head (30º01´S) to off Rowley Shoals (17º28´S), WA, and off Raine Island, QLD (11º3´S), to off about Byron Bay, NSW (28º38´S); tropical, Indo-west-central Pacific.

IMCRA

Central Eastern Province (12), Tasman Basin Province (13), Central Eastern Transition (15), Kenn Transition (16), Kenn Province (17), Northeast Province (18), Northeast Transition (19), Cape Province (20), Northwest Transition (3), Northwest Province (4), Central Western Transition (5), Central Western Province (6)

Distribution References

Ecological Descriptors

Benthic, continental shelf, continental slope, marine.

Extra Ecological Information

200–600 m.

General References

Gloerfelt-Tarp, T. & Kailola, P.J. 1984. Trawled Fishes of Southern Indonesia and Northwest Australia. Jakarta : Dir. Gen. Fish. (Indonesia), German Tech. Coop., Aust. Dev. Ass. Bur. 406 pp.

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] [23]

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. [548]

Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 557 pp. figs. [499]

Common Name References

Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 557 pp. figs. (Berndt's Beardfish)

Seafood Services Australia 2008. Australian Fish Names Standard. http://www.fishnames.com.au/. (Berndt's Beardfish)

History of changes

• Polymixia busakhini 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] [22] [originally intended for publication in Kotlyar, A.N. 1993. Beryciform fishes from the western Indian Ocean collected in cruise of R/V "Vityaz". Transactions. P. P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology 128: 179-198].

  Type data:

   Holotype ZMM P.18691, Western Indian Ocean, depth 650-660 m. [33°04´S, 43°52´E].
  Paratype(s) AM I.21777-002.

Introduction

Borden (2019) presented evidence suggesting that this species is a junior synonym of Polymixia nobilis. This arrangement has not been widely accepted and we retain the species here as valid until further work can be conducted to confirm its status.

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Off Shark Bay to off the Northwest Shelf, WA and north QLD (16ºS) to off Wattamolla, NSW (34º44´S); subtropical, southern Indo-west Pacific.

IMCRA

Central Eastern Province (12), Tasman Basin Province (13), Central Eastern Transition (15), Kenn Transition (16), Kenn Province (17), Northwest Transition (3), Northwest Province (4), Central Western Transition (5)

Ecological Descriptors

Benthic, continental slope, marine.

Extra Ecological Information

260-800 m.

General References

Borden, W.C., Grande, T.C. and Wilson, M.V.H. 2019. Phylogenetic relationships within the primitive acanthomorph fish genus Polymixia, with changes to species composition and geographic distributions. PLoS ONE (Public Library of Science) 14(3 (e0212954)): 1-30

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. [548]

Paxton, J.R., Hoese, D.F., Allen, G.R. & Hanley, J.E. (eds) 1989. Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Pisces: Petromyzontidae to Carangidae. Canberra : Australian Government Publishing Service Vol. 7 665 pp. [362] (as P. nobilis)

Common Name References

Seafood Services Australia 2008. Australian Fish Names Standard. http://www.fishnames.com.au/. (Busakhin's Beardfish)

History of changes

• Polymixia longispina Deng, S.-M., Xiong, G.-Q. & Zhan, H.-X. 1983. Two new species of deep sea fishes from the east China Sea. Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica 8(3): 317-322 [317, figs 1, 2B].

  Type data:

   Holotype ECSFI E-0049, China Sea, depth 270-278 m.
  Paratype(s) ECSFI E-0373; ECSFI E-0035-40; ECSFI E-0042-43; ECSFI E-0050; ECSFI E-0371-72.

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Off the Northwest Shelf, WA and off Cape York to off Gabo Island, VIC; tropical, Western and Central North Pacific.

IMCRA

Southeast Transition (11), Central Eastern Province (12), Central Eastern Transition (15), Kenn Transition (16), Kenn Province (17), Northeast Province (18), Northeast Transition (19), Timor Province (2), Cape Province (20), Northwest Transition (3), Southeast Shelf Transition (37), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38), Central Eastern Shelf Transition (39)

Ecological Descriptors

Benthic, continental shelf, continental slope, marine.

Extra Ecological Information

150-550 m.

History of changes