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Stephanoberyciformes

Article by: Boschung, Herbert Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Publication year: 2014

Content

• Melamphaidae (bigscale ) • (pricklefishes) • Hispidoberycidae • Gibberichthyidae (gibberfishes) • Whalefishes • Rondeletiidae (redmouth whalefishes) • Barboursiidae (red whalefish) • (flabby whalefishes) • Mirapinnidae (tapertails) • Megalomycteridae (longnose fishes) • Bibliography • Additional Readings

An of fishes containing the pricklefishes and whalefishes. This order is recognized by G. D. Johnson and C. Patterson, but interrelationships of the taxa placed within it are debated among ichthyologists. Stephanoberyciformes is recognized as the of all remaining acanthomorphs. It is defined by the following characters: pelvic girdle attached to or coracoid of pectoral girdle; usually exceptionally thin (fragile often characteristic of pelagic fishes); subocular shelf absent; supramaxilla absent or reduced; and body shape variable, from elongate to short and rounded. The of Stephanoberyciformes as a group is poorly known, and many are known from only a few specimens. These are small deep-water fishes, ranging in total length from 2.1 to 43 cm (0.8 to 17 in.), but most are less than 10 cm (4 in.), and occupying depths to 5300 m (17,400 ft or 3.3 mi). Several species are known to be oviparous (the assumed mode of reproduction of the entire order), with planktonic and larvae. The order comprises nine families, 28 genera, and about 75 described species, plus many others known but yet undescribed. Included in the order are families taken from the , , and as described by J. A. Moore. See also: Deep-sea fauna (/content/deep-sea- fauna/183200); (/content/osteichthyes/478500); Teleostei (/content/teleostei/680400)

Melamphaidae (bigscale fishes)

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Melamphaidae, comprising five genera and 36 species, can be distinguished by the following features: with 1–3 weak spines; pelvic fins thoracic or subthoracic, with 1 spine and 6 to 8 soft rays; caudal fin preceded dorsally and ventrally by 3 or 4 posteriorly directed spines; cycloid scales, often large and deciduous; absent, or limited to 1 or 2 pored scales; and lengths of 2.1 to 18 cm (0.8 to 7 in.), but most less than 10 cm (4 in.). Some species make daily vertical migrations from 700 m (2300 ft), and others are bathypelagic to depths exceeding 3500 m (11,500 ft). They occur in all , but are unknown in Arctic seas and the Mediterranean Sea.

Stephanoberycidae (pricklefishes)

Stephanoberycidae (Fig. 1), comprising three monotypic genera, can be identified by the following characteristics: 8 to 11 spines preceding the principal caudal fin rays dorsally and ventrally; dorsal and anal fin spines, if present, weak; 10 to 14 soft rays in each dorsal and anal fin; pelvic fins abdominal or subabdominal, each with 5 soft rays; scales smooth or spiny; and lateral line faint. The three species represent the in the eastern and western Atlantic (including the Gulf of Mexico), the Indian off South Africa, and the western and central Pacific. They are 8.1 to 13 cm (3.2 to 5.1 in.) in total length and have a depth range of 1655 to 5300 m (5430 to 17,400 ft).

Fig. 1 Pricklefish (Stephanoberyx monae). (From G. Brown Goode and T. H. Bean, Oceanic , plate 55, 1896)

Hispidoberycidae

Hispidoberycidae is a monotypic family known from the northeastern Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. The sole species, Hispidoberyx ambagiosus, has scales covered with small spines, an with a stout spine, a dorsal fin with 4 or 5 spines and 10 soft rays, an anal fin with 3 spines and 9 soft rays, a total length of 18 cm (7 in.), and a depth range of 560 to 1000 m (1840 to 3280 ft).

Gibberichthyidae (gibberfishes)

Gibberichthyidae comprises one and two species of rare deep-sea fishes. latifrons occurs in the Indo-West Pacific, where adults occupy depths between 750 and 2000 m (2460 and 6560 ft), and G. pumilus occurs in the western Central Atlantic (including the Gulf of Mexico) and the western Pacific at depths between 320 and 1100 m (1050 and 3600 ft). Both species are about 13 cm (5.1 in.) in total length. Larvae are usually found at depths less than 50 m (164 ft). The family is distinguishable by the following features: subabdominal pelvic fins, each with 1 spine and 5 or 6 soft rays; a series of 5 to 8 and 4 or 5 partly isolated short spines preceding the soft dorsal and anal fins, respectively; 7 to 9 dorsal and anal

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soft rays; cycloid scales; flanks with vertical rows of papillae over the vertical lateral line tubes; and partially filled with fat. Small are known foods of both prejuveniles and adults. See also: Swim bladder (/content/swim-bladder/672500)

Whalefishes

The following three families are called whalefishes; however, they are far from size, with the species ranging from only 11 to 39 cm (4 to 15 in.). The whalefishes share the following characteristics: whale- shaped body; very large and highly distensible ; eyes well developed or degenerate; lateral line of large hollow tubes; luminous tissue on body; dorsal and anal fins far posteriorly and opposite one another; swim bladder absent; and black body with red and orange-tipped fins. Whalefishes are bathypelagic.

Rondeletiidae (redmouth whalefishes)

Rondeletiidae is distinguished by a lateral line of 14 to 26 pores in a vertical series, no fin spines, and the presence of pelvic fins. It consists of two species: Rondeletia bicolor (Fig. 2), from the western Atlantic off North Carolina and Suriname, which has a forward-directed spine above the eye and occurs at depths to 3000 m (9840 ft); and R. loricata, which occurs in temperate and tropical waters of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans to depths of 1130 m (3700 ft), makes diurnal migrations from 750 m (2460 ft) up to 100 m (328 ft), and is known to feed on isopods and remains. Both species are only about 14 cm (5.5 in.) in total length.

Fig. 2 Redmouth whalefish (Rondeletia bicolor). (From G. Brown Goode and T. H. Bean, Oceanic Ichthyology, plate 77, 1896)

Barboursiidae (red whalefish)

Barboursiidae is a family of only one species, Barbourisia rufa, which occurs in tropical and temperate latitudes throughout the world's oceans, including the western Atlantic (Gulf of Mexico) and eastern Pacific (off north-central California). Identifying features are as follows: fin spines absent; large mouth, with the extending far beyond the eye; lower projecting beyond the upper; jaw teeth in broad villiform bands; body and fins with minute spinules, resulting in a velvety feel; lateral line with distinct pores; maximum total length of about 43 cm (17 in.); and juveniles mesopelagic and adults benthopelagic to depths of 2000 m (6560 ft).

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Cetomimidae (flabby whalefishes)

Cetomimidae (Fig. 3), with nine genera and 35 species (15 of which are known but yet undescribed), plus 36 species in the family Melamphaidae account for 75% of the order Stephanoberyciformes. The following features identify the family: loose and without scales; eyes very small or vestigial; no pelvic fins; 3 or 4 pairs of arches; absent, but luminous organs often present around anus and dorsal and anal fin bases; and in live specimens brown or orange color with bright orange or red and fins. The very few males that are known are only 3 to 5 cm (1.2 to 2 in.) in length and were previously classified as juveniles. The maximum total length is about 43 cm (17 in.). These fishes are oceanic in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans, and are one of the deepest-dwelling families of the order, with one species, Cetichthys parini, at 5000 m (16,400 ft). See also: (/content/bioluminescence/083200); gland (/content/photophore-gland/511300)

Fig. 3 Flabby whalefish (Cetomimidae sp.). (Photo from Alaska Science Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service)

Mirapinnidae (tapertails)

Mirapinnidae, comprising three genera and five species, occurs in tropical and subtropical zones of the Atlantic and Indian oceans and the western Pacific. The following characteristics identify the family: no scales; fins without spines; dorsal and anal fins opposite one another; dorsal fin with 16 to 33 soft rays and anal fin with 14 to 29 rays; pectoral fin with 13 to 24 rays; and jugular with 4 to 10 rays. Two subfamilies are recognized.

Mirapinninae, with one species, Mirapinna esau, is called hairyfish because of the short hairlike pile covering the body. It is further identified by pectoral fins inserted very high on the body, broad pelvic fins inserted in the jugular position well above the ventral profile, and overlapping halves of the caudal fin.

Eutaeniophorinae has two genera and four species. The body is -like, with the dorsal and anal fins placed far posteriorly and opposite one another.

Megalomycteridae (longnose fishes)

Megalomycteridae comprises four genera and eight species, five of which are yet undescribed. The longnoses occupy depths between 1500 and 4000 m (4900 and 13,000 ft) in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. They are identified by the following: exceptionally large olfactory organs; lack of fin spines; usually lacking pelvic fin, but if present thoracic with 1 to 3 rays; and less than 6 cm (2.4 in.) in total length.

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Herbert Boschung

Bibliography

A. W. Ebeling, Melamphaidae, pp. 427–432, in M. M. Smith and P. C. Heemstra (eds.), Smiths' Sea Fishes, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1986

A. W. Ebeling and W. H. Weed, Order Xenoberyces (Stephanoberyciformes), in Fishes of the Western North Atlantic, Mem. Sears Found. Mar. Res., Mem. 1(pt. 6):397–478, 1973

R. Froese and D. Pauly (eds.), FishBase, World Wide Web electronic publication, version (10/2011)

G. D. Johnson and C. Patterson, Percomorph phylogeny: A survey of acanthomorphs and a new proposal, Bull. Mar. Sci., 52(1):554–626, 1993

J. A. Moore, Phylogeny of the Trachichthyiformes (Teleostei: ), Bull. Mar. Sci., 52(1):114–136, 1993

J. S. Nelson, , 4th ed., Wiley, New York, 2006

J. R. Paxton, Barbourisiidae (p. 1740), Cetomimidae (pp. 1171–1173), Mirapinnidae (pp. 1174–1175), in K. E. Carpenter (ed.), The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Atlantic, FAO Species Identification Guide for Purposes, vol. 2, FAO, Rome, 2003

J. R. Paxton, G. D. Johnson, and T. Trnski, Larvae and juveniles of the deepsea “whalefishes” Barbourisia and Rondeletia (Stephanoberyciformes: Barbourisiidae, Rondeletiidae), with comments on family relationships, Rec. Aust. Mus., 53:407–425, 2001 DOI: 10.3853/j.0067-1975.53.2001.1352 (http://dx.doi.org/10.3853/j.0067-1975.53.2001.1352)

J. R. Paxton and T. Trnski, Rondeletiidae (pp. 1168–1169), Megalomycteridae (pp. 1176–1177), in K. E. Carpenter (ed.), The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Atlantic, FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes, vol. 2, FAO, Rome, 2003

Additional Readings

W. N. Eschmeyer et al., Marine diversity: History of knowledge and discovery (Pisces), Zootaxa, 2525:19–50, 2010

G. S. Helfman et al., The Diversity of Fishes: Biology, Evolution, and Ecology, 2d ed., John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, West Sussex, UK, 2009

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