Echinophryne crassispina

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Echinophryne crassispina
EchinophryneCrassispinaBenGrant.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Lophiiformes
Family: Antennariidae
Genus: Echinophryne
Species:
E. crassispina
Binomial name
Echinophryne crassispina
McCulloch & Waite, 1918

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.

Contents

Taxonomy

Echinophryne crassispina was first formally described in 1918 by the Australian ichthyologists Allan Riverstone McCulloch and Edgar Ravenswood Waite with its type locality given as Spencer Gulf in South Australia. [1] When they described this new species McCulloch and Waite designated it as the type species of a new monospecific genus, Echinophryne . [2] Some authorities classify Echinophryne in the subfamily Histiophryninae within the family Antennariidae., [3] while others recognise it as the family Histiophrynidae. [4] However, the 5th edition of Fishes of the World does not recognise subfamilies within the Antennariidae, classifying the family within the suborder Antennarioidei within the order Lophiiformes, the anglerfishes. [5]

Etymology

Echinophryne crassispina has the genus name Echinophryne which combines echinos, meaning "spiny", a reference to the skin of the type species which was described as "thickly beset with large, upstanding, bifurcate spinules", with phryne, meaning "toad", a common used suffix for anglerfish genera, it may date as far back as Aristotle and Cicero, who referred to anglerfishes as "fishing-frogs" and "sea-frogs", respectively, this is assumed to be an allusion to the frog- or toad-like appearance of these fishes. The specific name, crassispina, compounds crassus, meaning "thick" or "fat", with spina, which means spine, an allusion to the relatively thick illicium. [6]

Description

Echinophryne crassispina has a short and deep body with a dense covering of bifurcate spinules. Its eyes are encircled by closely set spinules too. [7] The caudal peduncle is short and the illicium, the "fishing rod", lacks an obvious lure, or esca. There are 2 further dorsal spines and a soft dorsal fin that is supported by 15 or 16 soft rays while the anal fin contains between 8 and 10 soft rays. [8] The dorsal and anal fins are not connected to the caudal fin. [7] The colour of the body varies, it is normally cream, yellow, orange or even slaty grey, marked with dark brown latticing and marbling. There is a white crustaceous marking on the head and the anal and caudal fins each have a clear dark brown band along the middle and another at the fin margin. [8] The prickly anglerfish has a maximum published total length of 7 cm (2.8 in)> [9]

Distribution and habitat

Echinophryne crassispina is endemic to the temperate waters of southern Australia being found as far north as Jervis Bay in New South Wales, south to northern Tasmania east to the southwestern coast of the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. [8] The prickly anglerfish is found at depths between 0 and 20 m (0 and 66 ft) [9] living on rocky reefs, often hiding beneath rocks, under ledges and around jetties. [8]

Biology

Echinophryne crassispina feeds mainly on small decapod crustaceans. The prickly anglerfish breeds during the early summer when females lay around 150 eggs onto a rocky substrate, the eggs being adhered to the rock, and to each other, by filaments. The males then guard the eggs until they hatch, creating a "pocket" between the body and the tail. [8]

Utilisation and conservation

Echinophryne crassispina is collected for the aquarium trade and under the Tasmanian Living Marine Resources Management Act 1995, Fisheries (Scalefish) Rules 2004 - Regulation 100, a person holding a personal fishing licence is limited to having 3 specimens of this species while in Tasmanian waters. [8] Thisspecies has not been evaluated for the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red Data Book. [9]

Related Research Articles

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

Frogfishes are any member of the anglerfish family Antennariidae, of the order Lophiiformes. Antennariids are known as anglerfish in Australia, where the term "frogfish" refers to members of the unrelated family Batrachoididae. Frogfishes are found in almost all tropical and subtropical oceans and seas around the world, the primary exception being the Mediterranean Sea.

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

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.

<i>Histiophryne</i> Genus of fishes

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.

Butler's frogfish, Butler's anglerfish or the blackspot anglerfish, is a rare species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Histiophryninae the family Antennariidae, the frogfishes. The only member of its genus, this species is the most derived member of its family and represents a separate lineage from all other frogfishes, leading to some consideration of it being placed in its own family, the Tathicarpidae, this name being proposed by Pamela B. Hart et al in 2022. It is found off the southern coast of New Guinea, and along the coasts of Western Australia to 33° S latitude, the Northern Territory, and Queensland to 22° S latitude. A benthic species, it inhabits inshore tropical waters and coral reefs to a maximum depth of 145 m (476 ft), though most are found shallower than 45 m (148 ft). Its specific epithet honours its discoverer Dr. A. Graham Butler.

<i>Antennarius</i> Genus of fishes

Antennarius is a genus of anglerfish belonging to the family Antennariidae, the frogfishes. The fishes in this genus are found in warmer parts of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans.

<i>Antennatus</i> Genus of fishes

Antennatus is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Antennariidae, the frogfishes. The fishes in this genus are found the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

<i>Echinophryne</i> Genus of fishes

Echinophryne is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the subfamily Histiophryninae in the family Antennariidae, the frogfishes. The fishes in this genus are endemic to the waters off Australia.

<i>Fowlerichthys</i> Genus of fishes

Fowlerichthys is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Antennariidae, the frogfishes. The fishes in this genus are found the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans.

<i>Kuiterichthys</i> Genus of fishes

Kuiterichthys is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the subfamily Histiophryninae in the family Antennariidae, the frogfishes. These fishes are endemic to Australia.

<i>Lophiocharon</i> Genus of fishes

Lophiocharon is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the subfamily Histiophryninae in the family Antennariidae, the frogfishes. These fishes are found in the eastern Indian Ocean and Western Pacific Ocean.

<i>Nudiantennarius</i> Species of fish

Nudiantennarius is a monospecific genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Antennariidae, the frogfishes. The only species in the genus is Nudiantennarius subteres, the deepwater frogfish. This fish is found in the Western Pacific Ocean.

<i>Phyllophryne</i> Species of fish

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.

<i>Rhycherus</i> Genus of fishes

Rhycherus is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the subfamily Histiophryninae in the family Antennariidae, the frogfishes. The fishes in this genus are endemic to the waters off Australia. This genus is classified in the monogeneric family Rhycheridae, the Balrog frogfishes, by some authorities.

Porophryne 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 Porophryne erythrodactylus, the red-fingered anglerfish, red-footed frogfish, Bare Island anglerfish or Sydney anglerfish, which is endemism to the waters off New South Wales in eastern Australia. Both the species and the genus were first described in 2014.

Abantennarius analis, the tailjet frogfish, tailjet anglerfish or dwarf frogfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Antennariidae, the frogfishes. This species is found in the eastern Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean.

<i>Antennatus tuberosus</i> Species of fish

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.

<i>Echinophryne mitchellii</i> Species of fish

Echinophryne mitchellii, the long-spined frogfish, bristly frogfish, Mitchell's anglerfish, Mitchell's frogfish, prickly angler fish or spinycoat 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.

<i>Lophiocharon trisignatus</i> Species of fish

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.

<i>Abantennarius</i> Genus of fishes

Abantennarius is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Antennariidae, the frogfishes. The fishes in the genus are found in the Indian, Pacific and, one species, in the Western Atlantic Oceans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Histiophryninae</span> Subfamily of marine ray-finned fishes

Histiophryninae, the star-fingered frogfishes, is a subfamily of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Antennariidae, the frogfishes. The species in this family are found in the Indian and Western Pacific Oceans.

References

  1. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Echinophryne". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  2. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Histiophrynidae". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  3. ↑ Arnold, R. J.; R. G. Harcourt; and T. W. Pietsch (2014). "A new genus and species of the frogfish family Antennariidae (Teleostei: Lophiiformes: Antennarioidei) from New South Wales, Australia, with a diagnosis and key to the genera of the Histiophryninae". Copeia. 2014 (3): 534–539. doi:10.1643/CI-13-155.
  4. ↑ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Family Histiophrynidae". FishBase . February 2024 version.
  5. ↑ Nelson, J.S.; Grande, T.C.; Wilson, M.V.H. (2016). Fishes of the World (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 508–518. doi:10.1002/9781119174844. ISBN   978-1-118-34233-6. LCCN   2015037522. OCLC   951899884. OL   25909650M.
  6. ↑ Christopher Scharpf (14 November 2022). "Order LOPHIIFORMES (part 1): Families LOPHIIDAE, ANTENNARIIDAE, TETRABRACHIIDAE, LOPHICHTHYIDAE, BRACHIONICHTHYIDAE, CHAUNACIDAE and OGCOCEPHALIDAE". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  7. 1 2 Mark McGrouther (19 April 2021). "Prickly Anglerfish, Echinophryne crassispina McCulloch & Waite, 1918". Australian Museum . Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Dianne J. Bray & Vanessa J. Thompson (2020). "Echinophryne crassispina". Fishes of Australia. Museums Victoria. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  9. 1 2 3 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Echinophryne crassispina". FishBase . February 2024 version.
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