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">Spotfin frogfish</span> Species of fish

The spotfin frogfish, also known as the big-spot angler, coin-bearing frogfish, darkspot frogfish, ocellated angler, ocellated fringed fishing frog, opulent frogfish, spotfin angler or white-finger anglerfish, is a species ray-finned fish belonging to the family Antennariidae, the frogfishes. The spotfin frogfish is found in scattered locations the eastern Atlantic, Indian and western Pacific Oceans.

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

The ocellated frogfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Antennariidae, the frogfishes. This fish is found in the Western Atlantic Ocean.

<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.

<i>Antennarius</i> Genus of fishes

Antennarius is a genus marine ray-finned fishes 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>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.

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

Randall's frogfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Antennariidae, the frogfishes. This species is found in the Indo-Pacific region.

<i>Antennarius pardalis</i> Species of fish

Antennarius pardalis, the leopard frogfish or peixe pescador, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Antennariidae, the frogfishes. This species is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean.

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.

Abantennarius bermudensis, the island frogfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Antennariidae, the frogfishes. The island frogfish is found in the Western Atlantic Ocean.

<i>Abantennarius rosaceus</i> Species of fish

Abantennarius rosaceus, the rosy frogfish, rosy anglerfish, pink anglerfish or spiny tufted frogfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Antennariidae, the frogfishes. The rosy frogfish is found in the Indo-Pacific region.

Antennatus strigatus, the bandtail frogfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Antennariidae, the frog fishes. This species is found in the eastern 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>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.

<i>Antennarius scaber</i> Species of fish

Antennarius scaber, the splitlure frogfish or strated frogfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Antennariidae, the frogfishes. This species is found in the Western Atlantic Ocean and was previously considered to be a synonym of Antennarius striatus.

<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, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2024). "Histiophrynidae" in 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.) (2024). "Echinophryne crassispina" in FishBase . February 2024 version.
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