Order

Lophiiformes

  Class

Actinopterygii

No. in FishBase

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

  Environment

Fresh : No | Brackish : No | Marine : Yes

  Division

Marine

  Aquarium

none

  First Fossil Record

     

  Remark

Distribution: Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. No illicium. Females with long movable teeth outside the jaws. Females are host to the parasitic mature males. (Ref. 245) Other distinguishing characters: Exceptional amongst all ceratioids by its lack of a luring apparatus. Unique set of defining characters include: the body of metamorphosed females elongate, slender, and laterally compressed; a short head; a large horizontal to slightly oblique mouth with its cleft continuing posteriorly well beyond the eye; tiny, degenerate-looking eyes measuring less than 2.5% SL; a large nasal papilla on each side of the mouth; lacking nostrils and olfactory lamellae (functions unknown); conically-shaped sphenotics lacking a distal spine; jaws are subequal (the anterior of the lower jaw slightly longer than the upper jaw) and lacking a symphysial spine; the jaw with an inner row of short, straight, widely spaced immobile teeth (0 to 6 on each premaxilla and 10 to 21 on each dentary); an outer row of 2 or 3 irregular series of long straight hinged teeth, each with a tiny distal hook, articulated on prominent conical outgrowths of the jaw and strongly attached by connective tissue and well-developed musculature; 11 to 20 outer premaxillary teeth and 18 to 20 on each dentary (count accuracy compromised by the very poor condition of the specimens); long and slender vomerine teeth on each side; unusually long pterygiophores supporting the dorsal- and anal-fins, those supporting the latter being much longer; the fins appear to be mounted on prominent bases because of the long rays; unusually long and slender caudal peduncle; broad caudal fin with its four innermost rays being deeply bifurcated; head and body lacking dermal spinules; associated with the acoustico-lateralis are numerous elongate filaments (like those of caulophrynids) on the skin of the head and body. Free-living males unknown. Parasitic males, represented by 7 individuals measuring between 1.15 to 1.8 cm; uniquely having a slender body compared to members of other ceratioid families; eyes and olfactory organs degenerate; no evidence of an upper denticular bone; 3 elongate, curved, and distally bifurcated projections on the lower denticular; skin naked, lacking dermal spinules. Larvae (0.37 to 0.98 cm) with an elongate, slender body (depth of 30 to 40% SL); slightly inflated skin; no evidence of sexual dimorphism; with an elongate, cylindrical rudimentary illicium uniquely positioned on the tip of the snout above the symphysis of the upper jaw; relatively small pectoral fins (15 to 20% SL); metamorphosis commencing at 0.8 to 1.0 cm SL. Dorsal-fin rays: 10 to 13, anal-fin rays: 10 to 13, pectoral-fin rays: 12 to 15, and caudal-fin rays: 9 (2 unbranched + 4 branched + 3 unbranched) (10 in some larvae). (Ref. 86949)

  Etymology

Named by Pappenheim (1914:198) to signify a new kind of ceratiid-like anglerfish, at the time expressing uncertainty of its position within the suborder but finding great similarity with the Ceratiidae. (Ref. 86949)

  Reproductive guild

  Typical activity level

  Main Ref

Nelson, J.S. 1984

  Coordinator

  Deep Fin Classification

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