| Artedidraconidae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artedidraco mirus | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Suborder: | Notothenioidei |
| Family: | Artedidraconidae Eakin, 1988 [1] |
| Genera | |
see text | |
The Artedidraconidae, barbeled plunderfishes, are a family of marine ray-finned fishes, notothenioids belonging to the Perciform suborder Notothenioidei. The family comprises four genera. These fishes are endemic to deep waters off Antarctica.
Artedidraconidae was first described as a family in 1988 by the American ichthyologist Richard Eakin [1] with Artedidraco as its type genus, the type species of Artedidraco is A. mirus which was described in 1905 by the Swedish zoologist Einar Lönnberg. [2] The genera in the family were previously classified as part of the Harpagiferidae. [3] The family is classified within the suborder Notothenioidei of the order Perciformes. [4] The name of the family is a compound of Artedi, honouring the Swedish naturalist Peter Artedi who was known as the “father of ichthyology,” and who was born 200 years before Lönnberg described A. mirus with draco, from dracœna meaning “dragon” an ancient Greek name for the weeverfish genus Trachinus , although this may be a reference to the relationship Lönnberg mentioned to Draconetta which was thought to be a member of the Nototheniidae at that time. [5]
The following four genera are classified within the family Artedidraconidae: [6]
Artedidraconidae taxa are said to have undergone sympatric speciation. [7]
Artedidraconidae fishes are characterised by having a body tapering from their large heads to their caudal fins. They have 2 dorsal fins, the first contains 2-7 spines and the second has 22-30 segmented soft rays while the anal fin has 14-21 soft rays. They have large pectoral fins containing 14-21 fin rays while the pelvic fins are positioned at the jugular and contain a single long, sharp spine and 5 soft rays. There are 8-11 branched rays in the caudal fin. They have a large and protractile mouth with small conical teeth on the jaws but none elsewhere. The snout has a single nostril on each side. There is a flattened and hooked spine on the operculum. There are no scales on the head and body. There are two lateral lines, upper and middle. [3] A mental barbel, i.e. on the chin, is a characteristic of this family; the morphology of this barbel is variable with the species. [7] They have structures called convexitas superaxillaris, which are large spherical protrusions with an elastic feel on the body, situated just under the base of the pectoral fin; they may have a role in the system of cold resistance, secreting anti-freeze proteins and possibly a social function, expressing dominance. The smallest species is Pogonophryne albipinna which has a maximum standard length of 3.8 cm (1.5 in) while the largest species in the family is Pogonophryne neyelovi which has a maximum total length of 35.5 cm (14.0 in). [6]
Artedidraconidae is found in the Southern Ocean where they occur in deeper waters around the continent of Antarctica and some sub Antarctic islands. [6] That are found at depths between 5 and 2,500 m (16 and 8,202 ft). These fishes are sluggish and sedentary and typically stay motionless on the substrate for long periods waiting for prey to come to them, normally peracarid crustaceans and polychaete worms. [8]
Nototheniidae, the notothens or cod icefishes, is a family of ray-finned fishes, part of the suborder Notothenioidei which is traditionally placed within the order Perciformes. They are largely found in the Southern Ocean.
Notothenioidei is one of 19 suborders of the order Perciformes. The group is found mainly in Antarctic and Subantarctic waters, with some species ranging north to southern Australia and southern South America. Notothenioids constitute approximately 90% of the fish biomass in the continental shelf waters surrounding Antarctica.
The Bathydraconidae, or the Antarctic dragonfishes, are a family of marine ray-finned fishes, notothenioids belonging to the Perciform suborder Notothenioidei. The family comprises four genera. These fishes are endemic to deep waters off Antarctica.
Bovichtidae, the temperate icefishes or thornfishes, is a family of marine ray-finned fishes, classified in the suborder Notothenioidei of the order Perciformes. They are native to coastal waters off Australia, New Zealand, and South America.
Harpagifer, the spiny plunderfishes is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes, belonging to the family Harpagiferidae, it is the only genus in this monotypic family. They are found in the Southern Ocean.
Champsocephalus is a genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Channichthyidae, the crocodile icefishes. They are native to the Southern Ocean.
Artedidraco is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Artedidraconidae, the barbeled plunderfishes. They are native to the Southern Ocean.
Dolloidraco is a monotypic genus of marine ray-finned fish, its only known species being Dolloidraco longedorsalis, belonging to the family Artedidraconidae, the barbeled plunderfishes. It is native to the Southern Ocean in the waters around Antarctica.
Histiodraco is a monotypic genus of marine ray-finned fish, its only known species being Histiodraco velifer, belonging to the family Artedidraconidae, the barbeled plunderfishes. It is native to the Southern Ocean and the waters around Antarctica.
Pogonophryne is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Artedidraconidae, the barbeled plunderfishes. They are native to the Southern Ocean.
Bathydraco is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Bathydraconidae, the Antarctic dragonfishes. They are native to the Southern Ocean.
Gerlachea is a monotypic genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Bathydraconidae, the Antarctic dragonfishes, its only species is Gerlachea australis. It is found at depths of from 200 to 670 metres over the Antarctic continental shelf. This species is the only known member of its genus.
Vomeridens is a monotypic genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Bathydraconidae, the Antarctic dragonfishes, its only species is Vomeridens infuscipinnis. These fishes are native to the Southern Ocean.
Channichthys is a genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Channichthyidae, the crocodile icefishes. They are native to the Southern Ocean.
Chionobathyscus dewitti is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Channichthyidae, the crocodile icefishes. This species is found in the Southern Ocean.
Dacodraco is a monotypic genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Channichthyidae, the crocodile icefishes, its only member is Dacodraco hunteri. This species is found in the Southern Ocean.
The toad notie, or toad notothen, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, belonging to the family Nototheniidae, the notothens or cod icefishes. It is native to the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean.
Nototheniops is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Nototheniidae, the notothens or cod icefishes. The species in this genus are native to the Southern Ocean.
Cryodraco atkinsoni is a bathydemersal species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Channichthyidae, the crocodile icefishes. It is endemic to the waters of the eastern part of the Southern Ocean.
Bovictus diacanthus, the Tristan klipfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a temperate icefish or thornfish, belonging to the family Bovichtidae. It is endemic to two isolated, small island groups in the South Atlantic.