| Bufoceratias | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Bufoceratias wedli | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Lophiiformes |
| Family: | Diceratiidae |
| Genus: | Bufoceratias Whitley, 1931 |
| Type species | |
| Phrynichthys wedli Pietschmann, 1926 | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
| |
Bufoceratias is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Diceratiidae, the double anglers. Thee fishes in this genus are found i the Indian, Pacific and Western Atlantic Oceans.
Bufoceratias was first proposed as a genus in 1931 by the British-born Australian ichthyologist Gilbert Percy Whitley with Phrynichthys wedli as its type species. Whitley was replacing Phrynichthys as the genus name because Whitley thought that this name was preoccupied by Phrynichthys Agassiz, 1864, which was a replacement name for Bufichthys Swainson, 1839, and Whitley's name is now accepted. [1] Phrynichthys wedli had been first formally described in 1926 by the Austrian ichthyologist Viktor Pietschmann with its type locality given as Madeira. [2] This genus is one of two genera in the family Diceratiidae which the 5th edition of Fishes of the World classifies within the suborder Ceratioidei within the order Lophiiformes, the anglerfishes. [3]
Bufoceratias is a combination of bufo meaning "toad" with Ceratias , as when Whitley described it, it was classified within the family Ceratiidae. Whitley did bot explain the use of bufo but it is possible that it is a variation on phryne, another word for "toad" which is a suffix commonly applied to anglerfish genera. It may also be evoking Bufichthys. [4]
Bufoceratias has 4 recognised species classified within it: [5]
Bufoceratias double anglers are known only from metamorphosed females which have the second, club-like exposed cephalic spine bearing a bioluminescent organ at its tip which caharcterises the family. They also have a large mouth which reaches back beyond the eye, a well developed spine on the symphysis ov the mandible which reaches just past the maxilla, the presence of vomerine teeth, [6] there are spines in the skin, the dorsal fin has between five and seven rays while the anal fin has four rays and they have a small small pelvic bone which is joined to the cleithrum. The second cephalic spine is positioned directly behind the base of the first cephalic spine, or illicium [3] and can be pulled down beneath the skin in individuals with a total length greater than 1.3 cm (0.51 in) leaving a small pore to show its location. [7] They are distinguished from the metamorphosed females of Diceratias , the other genus in the family, by having an illicium which is equivalent to 25% to 225% of the standard length compared to 27% to 41%, the forward tip of the illicium's pterygiophore is hidden in the skin while in Diceratias it is exposed. The illicium has its origin at the base of the skull rather than on the snout and the illicial trough is shallow, rather than deep, and the spinules on the skin are much smaller. [8] These anglerfishes vary in length from a maximum published standard length of 10.1 cm (4.0 in) for Bufoceratias shaoi to a maximum published total length of 25 cm (9.8 in) for B. wedli. [5]
Bufoceratias double anglers have been found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans, B. wedli is founs in the western and eastern Atlantic Oceans with the other soecies being found in the Indo-Pacific region. [2] These fishes are bathypelagic and have been recorded from depths from 0 to 1,750 m (0 to 5,741 ft). [9] [10]
The footballfish form a family, Himantolophidae, of globose, deep-sea anglerfishes found in tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Ocean. The family contains 23 species, all of which are classified in a single genus, Himantolophus.
Fanfins or hairy anglerfish are a family, Caulophrynidae, of marine ray-finned fishes within the order Lophiiformes, the anglerfishes. The fishes in this family are found almost around the world in the deeper, aphotic waters of the oceans.
Double anglers, the family Diceratiidae, is a small and little known family of rarely encountered marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the order Lophiiformes, the anglerfishes. The two genera and seven species of this family are found in the deeper waters of the tropical and subtropical Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. They are distinguished from other deep sea anglerfishes by the possession of a second bioluminescent cephalic spine. The fishes in this family were known only from metamorphosed females and the males were not described until 1983.
Glauert's anglerfish is species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Histiophryninae in the family Antennariidae, the frogfishes. This species is the only species in the monospecific genus Allenichthys. This species is endemic to southern Australia.
The toothed seadevil, spiny seadevil or netbeard seadevil,, is a rarely seen deep-sea anglerfish found in the mesopelagic and bathypelagic zones in Oceans around the World. It is the only species in the family Neoceratidae, and is unique amongst the deep-sea anglerfish in lacking an illicium and esca, and in having large teeth placed on the outside of its jaws.
The anglerfish are fish of the teleost order Lophiiformes. They are bony fish named for their characteristic mode of predation, in which a modified luminescent fin ray acts as a lure for other fish. The luminescence comes from symbiotic bacteria, which are thought to be acquired from seawater, that dwell in and around the sea.
Black seadevils are small, deepsea lophiiform fishes of the family Melanocetidae. The five known species are all within the genus Melanocetus. They are found in tropical to temperate waters of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, with one species known only from the Ross Sea.
Histiophryne is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the subfamily Histiophryninae in the family Antennariidae, the frogfishes. These fishes are found in waters ranging from Taiwan to South Australia. There are currently five known species. These fishes are easily distinguished from other anglerfishes as having a reduced luring appendage, a highly evolved form of the first dorsal fin spine.
Chaunax, variously known as coffinfishes, gapers or frogmouths, is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes, it is one of two genera belonging to the family Chaunacidae, the sea toads. They are found in tropical and subtropical oceans around the world typically in deep water.
Bufoceratias wedli is a species of deep sea marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Diceratiidae, the double anglers. This anglerfish is found in deep water over the continental shelf in the tropical and subtropical areas of the Eastern and Western Atlantic Oceans. It is the type species of the genus Bufoceratias and like other members of that genus is known only from adult females, the unknown males are thought to be free living rather than sexual parasites of the females like those of some other deep sea anglerfishes.
Phyllophryne is a monospecific genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Histiophryninae in the family Antennariidae, the frogfishes. The only species in the genus is Phyllophryne scortea, the white-spotted anglerfish, smooth anglerfish or smooth frogfish, which is endemic to southern Australia.
Caulophryne polynema is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Caulophrynidae, the fanfins. This species is a deepwater species which is found in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Like other deepwater anglerfishes it shows extreme sexual dimorphism with the males being much smaller than the females and acting as sexual parasites of the females.
Caulophryne is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Caulophrynidae, the fanfins or hairy anglerfishes. These fishes are found throughout the non-polar oceans of the world.
Robia is a monospecific genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Caulophrynidae, the fanfins. Its only species is Robia legula which is known from a single specimen collected in the western central Pacific Ocean where it is found at depths of 1,000 to 1,500 metres.
Diceratias is a genus of deep sea marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Diceratiidae, the double anglers. These fishes are found in the Eastern Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions.
Caulophryne pelagica is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Caulophrynidae, the fanfins. This species is a deepwater species which is found in the eastern Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean and Southern Ocean. Its biology is little known but similar species show extreme sexual dimorphism with the very small makes seeking out and attaching themselves to the much larger females and becoming parasites of the females.
Bufoceratias shaoi is a species of double angler, a type of anglerfish. The fish is bathypelagic and has been found at depths ranging from 0 to 1,200 metres. It has been found in the western Indian Ocean and western Pacific Ocean. It was first described in 2004 by Theodore Pietsch, Ho Hsuan-Ching & Chen Hong-Ming.
Antennatus tuberosus, the tuberculate anglerfish, pygmy angler, pygmy frogfish or tuberculated frogfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Antennariidae, the frogfishes. This fish is found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Echinophryne crassispina, the prickly anglerfish, prickly frogfish or thick-spined anglerfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Histiophryninae in the family Antennariidae, the frogfishes. These fishes are endemic to the temperate waters of southern Australia.
Lophiocharon trisignatus, the spot-tail anglerfish, rough anglerfish or three-spot frogfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Histiophryninae in the family Antennariidae, the frogfishes. This fish is found in the Indo-Pacific region.