Order

Lophiiformes

  Class

Actinopterygii

No. in FishBase

Genera : 1 | Species : 22 Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes

  Environment

Fresh : No | Brackish : No | Marine : Yes

  Division

Marine

  Aquarium

none

  First Fossil Record

     

  Remark

From Nelson (1994). Distribution: Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. Both sexes lack the parietals throughout life. Triradiate pelvic bone; six branchiostegal rays; no epurals. Bony plates, each bearing a median spine, on the body of females. Dorsal fin rays 5 or 6. Anal fin rays 4; pectoral fin rays 14-18; vertebrae about 19. Females differ from other ceratioids by having a blunt and short snout; papillae on snout and chin. (Ref. 07463) Circumglobal in the southern hemisphere, tropical to polar (Ref. 80772). Nine caudal fin rays (Ref. 86949) Distinguishing character: Metamorphosed females having a spiny, globose body, short corpulent illicia, ornate escae varying widely in size and construction, prominently protruding lower jaw and snout dotted with numerous wartlike papillae or in larger specimens, widely-spread, conical dermal spines around the head and body; wide toothless vomer, developed sphenotic spines. Specimens measuring less than 4 cm SL distinguished by the prominent teeth on all four gill arches. Notable in metamorphosed males, found above and posterior to the upper denticular bone, is a series of enlarged, somewhat fused dermal spines; with moderately sized lateral eyes; large olfactory organs with the nostrils laterally directed. Presence of 16 - 31 upper denticular teeth and 20 - 50 on the lower jaw, with each cluster of teeth fused at the base forming the denticular bones. A dense layer of dermal spinules cover the skin. Males are free-living, indicatively never becoming parasitic on females. Larvae short, globose with skin highly inflated. Average-sized pectoral fins not surpassing the dorsal and anal fins in length. Smallest larvae exhibiting sexual dimorphism, females having a stub-like illicial rudiment projecting from the head. Larvae length reaching 1.7 - 2.25 cm SL with metamorphosis notably delayed until lengths between 2 - 3.3 cm SL. Largest recorded female of H. groenlandicus measured 4.65 cm SL. Length range of 2.5 - 4 cm for several other recorded female individuals. Record of metamorphosed males measured 2.3 - 3.9 cm with the largest recorded being 1.7 - 2.25 cm. (Ref. 86949)

  Etymology

Greek, himas or himantos = leather strap, thong or leash (referring to the thick leathery illicium) + Greek, lopho or lophio = crest or tuft (referring to the baited illicium projecting from the head) (Ref. 86949)

  Reproductive guild

nonguarders

  Typical activity level

  Main Ref

Nelson, J.S. 1994

  Coordinator

  Deep Fin Classification

Osteichthyes | Actinopterygii | Actinopteri | Neopterygii | Teleostei | Osteoglossocephalai | Clupeocephala | Euteleosteomorpha | Neoteleostei | Eurypterygia | Ctenosquamata | Acanthomorphata | Euacanthomorphacea | Percomorphaceae | Percomorpharia | Lophiiformes | Ceratioidei | Himantolophidae