Bathydraconidae

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Antarctic dragonfishes
Bathydraco antarcticus.jpg
Bathydraco antarcticus
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Suborder: Notothenioidei
Family: Bathydraconidae
Regan, 1913 [1]
Genera

see text

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. [2] [3]

Contents

Taxonomy

Bathydraconidae was first formally described as a family in 1913 by the English ichthyologist Charles Tate Regan in his report on the fishes collected on the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition to the Royal Society of Edinburgh. [1] He used the genus Bathydraco , which had been described by Albert Gunther in 1878 as a monotypic genus with B. antarctica as its type species, as the type genus. [4] Molecular analyses have supported the split of bathydraconids into three clades; Bathydraconinae which includes Bathydraco, Prionodraco and Racovitzia ; Gymnodraconinae which includes Gymnodraco , Psilodraco and Acanthodraco ); and Cygnodraconinae including Cygnodraco , Gerlachea and Parachaenichthys . [5] However, this subdivision is not recognised in the 5th edition of Fishes of the World . [6] The name of the family is derived from the generic name Bathydraco which is a combination of bathy meaning "deep" and draco meaning dragon, the type of B. antarctica was collected at 2,304 m (7,559 ft) and draco is a commonly used suffix for Notothenioids. [7]

Genera

The following genera are classified within the family Bathydraconidae: [2] [8]

Characteristics

Bathydraconidae species have elongate, slender bodies and may be separated from the other notothenioid families by the lack of a spiny first dorsal fin. Their bodies may be stocky, nearly cylindrical or rather depressed at the front and compressed at the rear. There is a single dorsal fin which has a long base and lacks any spines. The anal fin is typically shorter based than the dorsal fin, again having no spines. The pectoral fins are well developed while the pelvic fins contain 1 spine and 5 branched fin rays, beginning to the front of the pectoral fins. The head is moderate to large in size, being depressed in some species. They have a long snout which is flattened or even slightly depressed and is typically short and pointed. They have large mouths which can extend as far as the level of the middle of the eye. The jaws normally have small, conical teeth and occasionally canines, there are usually no teeth elsewhere in the mouth. They have a single external nostril. The operculum may have a rearwards directed hooked or spine, it may be unarmed. The bodies may have scales, typically ctenoid, bony plates or be naked. They can have 1, 2, 3 or 5 lateral lines made up of tubular, pored or pitted scales, and these are occasionally interlinked. [9]

Distribution, habitat and biology

Bathydraconidae species are benthopelagic fishes found in Antarctic waters. They are not fished commercially and little is known about them. [10] The majority of species in this group occur over the continental shelf and slope of Antarctica, but some have been reported from the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic Islands. They inhabit from shallow, inshore waters, although some have been found as deep as 3,000 m (9,800 ft). One species, Gymnodraco acuticeps , has been found in McMurdo Sound living at shallow depths under sea ice, this species may even live under the Ross Ice Shelf. [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nototheniidae</span> Family of fishes

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Notothenioidei</span> Suborder of fishes

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bovichtidae</span> Family of fishes

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Artedidraconidae</span> Family of fishes

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.

<i>Harpagifer</i> Genus of fishes

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.

Acanthodraco is a monotypic genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Bathydraconidae, the Antarctic dragonfishes, its only species is DeWitt’s dragonfish. They are found in the Southern Ocean and the southeastern Pacific Ocean.

Akarotaxis is a monotypic genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Bathydraconidae, the Antarctic dragonfish, its only species is Akarotaxis nudiceps. They are found in the Southern Ocean along the continental shelf of Antarctica.

<i>Bathydraco</i> Genus of fishes

Bathydraco is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Bathydraconidae, the Antarctic dragonfishes. They are native to the Southern Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mawson's dragonfish</span> Species of fish

Mawson's dragonfish is a species of Antarctic dragonfish native to the Southern Ocean around Antarctica. It is found at depths of from 110 to 300 metres over the continental shelf. This species is the only known member of its genus.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ploughfish</span> Species of fish

The ploughfish is a species of Antarctic dragonfish native to the Southern Ocean around Antarctica. It is found at depths of from 0 to 550 m over the Antarctic continental shelf. This species is the only known member of its genus.

<i>Parachaenichthys</i> Genus of fishes

Parachaenichthys is a genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Bathydraconidae, the Antarctic dragonfishes. They are found in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica.

<i>Prionodraco</i> Species of fish

Prionodraco is a monotypic genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Bathydraconidae, the Antarctic dragonfishes, its only species is Prionodraco evansii. These fishes are native to the Southern Ocean.

Psilodraco is a monotypic genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Bathydraconidae, the Antarctic dragonfishes, its only species is Psilodraco breviceps. These fishes are native to the Southern Ocean.

Racovitzia is a genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Bathydraconidae, the Antarctic dragonfishes. They are found in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spiny icefish</span> Species of fish

Chaenodraco wilsoni, the spiny icefish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Channichthyidae, the crocodile icefishes. It is native to the Southern Ocean. This species is the only known member of its genus. It is of minor interest to commercial fisheries.

<i>Cryodraco</i> Genus of fishes

Cryodraco is a genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Channichthyidae, the crocodile icefishes. They are found in the Southern Ocean. While C. antarcticus has minor commercial importance, C. atkinsoni and C. pappenheimi are of no interest to commercial fisheries.

<i>Dacodraco</i> Species of fish

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.

<i>Notothenia trigramma</i> Species of fish

Notothenia trigramma is a species of marine ray-finned fish, belonging to the family Nototheniidae, the notothens or cod icefishes. It occurs in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean.

References

  1. 1 2 Richard van der Laan; William N. Eschmeyer & Ronald Fricke (2014). "Family-group names of Recent fishes". Zootaxa. 3882 (2): 001–230. doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.3882.1.1 . PMID   25543675.
  2. 1 2 Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2021). "Bathydraconidae" in FishBase . June 2021 version.
  3. ↑ "Bathydraconidae". Integrated Taxonomic Information System . Retrieved 20 March 2006.
  4. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Bathydraconidae". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  5. ↑ N. Derome; W. J. Chen; A. Dettai; C. Bonillo; G. Lecointre (2002). "Phylogeny of Antarctic dragonfishes (Bathydraconidae, Notothenioidei, Teleostei) and related families based on their anatomy and two mitochondrial genes". Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 24 (1): 139–152. doi:10.1016/S1055-7903(02)00223-3. PMID   12128034.
  6. ↑ J. S. Nelson; T. C. Grande; M. V. H. Wilson (2016). Fishes of the World (5th ed.). Wiley. p. 465. ISBN   978-1-118-34233-6. Archived from the original on 2019-04-08. Retrieved 2021-10-06.
  7. ↑ Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara, eds. (12 April 2021). "Order Perciformes: Suborder Notothenoididei: Families Bovichtidae, Pseaudaphritidae, Elegopinidae, Nototheniidae, Harpagiferidae, Artedidraconidae, Bathydraconidae, Channichthyidae and Percophidae". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  8. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Bathydraconidae". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  9. 1 2 O. Gon (1990). "Bathydraconidae Dragonfishes". In O. Gon and P.C. Heemstra (eds.). Fishes of the Southern Ocean. South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity. ISBN   9780868102115.
  10. ↑ Andrzej Kompowski. "Studies on Psilodraco breviceps Norman, 1937 (Pisces, Nototheniodei, Bathydraconidae) from the region of South Georgia" (PDF). Acta Ichthyologica et Piscatoria. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-09-25.
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