Subfamily Stomiinae

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Introduction

The subfamily Stomiinae includes two genera and 20 species in two tribes, Stomiini (Scaly Dragonfishes) and Chauliodontini (Viperfishes) (Nelson 2006; Nelson et al 2016). Currently, four species in two genera are known from Australia. Some authors recognise the two groups as subfamilies.

Scaly dragonfishes and viperfishes occur worldwide in meso-bathypelagic waters. Both are elongate with longitudinal rows of scales with associated hexagonal pigment patches and small photophores. They also have a gelatinous membrane with luminous inclusions and ventral rows of larger photophores.

Scaly dragonfishes occur in depths to 2000 m, although most are captured commonly in the upper 1000 m. Other midwater fishes are their primary prey. They are distinctive in having a luminous chin barbel. Whitley (1964) recorded Stomias gracilis from Australia, presumably on the basis of Günther's (1887) original locality of 'south of Australia'. However, this locality is more than 320 km from the continent and this southern species is not herein considered an Australian species. Maximum size for the tribe is 41 cm.

Viperfishes have been taken by open nets to 2800 m. Recorded prey include crustaceans and fishes. They are distinctive, with fang-like teeth, an elongate first dorsal ray and five rows of scales. Specimens rarely exceed 30 cm in length.

The scaly dragonfishes (Tribe Stomiini) were reviewed by Morrow (1964) who recognised two genera. Gibbs (1969) summarised Stomias, with nine species, and Fedorov & Melchikova (1971) described a second species of Macrostomias. Fink & Fink (1986) synonymised Macrostomias with Stomias.

The viperfishes (Tribe Chauliodontini) were reviewed most recently by Morrow (1961) and Parin & Novikova (1974); the latter recognised eight species in a single worldwide genus. Kenaley et al. 2013 suggested that Chauliodus does not belong in the Stomiinae. Harold (1999) separated Chauliodus into a separate family, but Nelson (1994) and Nelson et al (2016) are followed here in retaining Chauliodontini within the Stomiinae. Wiley & Johnson (2010) recognised this arrangement. Kenaley et al. (2008) treated species found in southern Australia.

 

General References

Fedorov, V.V. & Melchikova, L.I. 1971. Description of a new species Macrostomias pacificus (Fedorov and Melchikova) sp. n. (Pisces, Stomiatidae) from the waters of the Kuroshio. Voprosy Ikhtiologii 11(5): 763-769 figs 1-2 [in Russian; English translation J. Ichthyol. 11(5) 653–658 figs 1–2]

Fink, W. L & Fink, S.V. 1986. A phylogenetic analysis of the genus Stomias, including the synonymization of Macrostomias. Copeia 1986(2): 494-503

Gibbs, R.H. 1969. Taxonomy, sexual dimorphism, vertical distribution and evolutionary zoogeography of the bathypelagic fish genus Stomias (Stomiidae). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 31: 1-25 figs 1-6

Günther, A. 1887. Report on the deep-sea fishes collected by H.M.S Challenger during the years 1873–1876. Report on the Scientific Results of the Voyage of H.M.S. Challenger 1873–1876, Zoology 22(57): 1-268 figs 1-7 pls 1-66

Harold, A.S. 1999. Families Gonostomatidae, Sternoptychidae, Phosichthyidae, Astronesthidae, Stomiidae, Chauliodontidae, Melanostomiidae, Idiacanthidae, Malacosteidae. pp. 1896-1917 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.

Kenaley,C.P., DeVaney, S.C. & Fjeran, T.T. 2013. The complex evolutionary history of seeing red: molecular phylogeny and the evolution of an adaptive visual system in deep-sea dragonfishes (Stomiiformes: Stomiidae). Evolution 68(4): 996–1013

Kenaley, C.P., Harold, A.S. & Gomon, M.F. 2008. Family Stomiidae. pp. 240-254 in Gomon, M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp.

Morrow, J.E. 1961. Taxonomy of the deep sea fishes of the genus Chauliodus. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard 125(9): 249-294 figs 1-10

Morrow, J.E. 1964. Family Stomiatidae. pp. 290-310 figs 75-76 in Olsen, Y.H. (ed.). Fishes of the western North Atlantic. Memoir. Sears Foundation of Marine Research 1(4): 1-599

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.

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

Parin, N.V. & Novikova, N.S. 1974. Taxonomy of viperfishes (Chauliodontidae, Osteichthyes) and their distribution in the World Ocean. Trudy Instituta Okeanologii. Akademiya Nauk SSSR. Moskva 96: 225-316 figs 1-19 [in Russian]

Whitley, G.P. 1964. A survey of Australian Ichthyology. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 89(1): 11-127

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.

 

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. [251] (Scaly Dragonfishes)

Harold, A.S. 1999. Families Gonostomatidae, Sternoptychidae, Phosichthyidae, Astronesthidae, Stomiidae, Chauliodontidae, Melanostomiidae, Idiacanthidae, Malacosteidae. pp. 1896-1917 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. [1907] (FAO) (Scaly Dragonfishes)

 

History of changes

Published	As part of group	Action Date	Action Type	Compiler(s)
11-Sep-2020	STOMIIFORMES	16-Oct-2019	MODIFIED	Dr Dianne Bray (NMV) Dr Doug Hoese (AM) Dr Matthew Lockett (AM)
		12-Feb-2010	(import)