Haplophryne

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Haplophryne
H mollis.JPG
Female ghostly seadevil with two attached males
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Lophiiformes
Family: Linophrynidae
Genus: Haplophryne
Regan, 1912
Species:
H. mollis
Binomial name
Haplophryne mollis
(Brauer, 1902) [2]
Synonyms [2] [3]
  • Aceratias mollis Brauer, 1902
  • Edriolychnus macracanthus Regan and Trewavas, 1932
  • Edriolychnus radians Regan and Trewavas, 1932
  • Edriolychnus roulei Regan and Trewavas, 1932
  • Edriolychnus schmidti Regan, 1925
  • Haplophryne triregium Whitley & Phillipps, 1939
Haplophryne mollis female anglerfish with atrophied males attached Hamol u0.gif
Haplophryne mollis female anglerfish with atrophied males attached

Haplophryne mollis, the ghostly seadevil or soft leftvent angler, is a species of anglerfish in the family Linophrynidae and is the only species in the genus Haplophryne. It is found in the bathypelagic and mesopelagic zones of tropical and subtropical parts of the world's oceans at depths down to about 2,250 m (7,400 ft).

Contents

Taxonomy

Haplophryne was first proposed as a monospecific genus in 1912 by the English ichthyologist Charles Tate Regan with Aceratias mollis as its only species and its type species by monotypy. [4] A. mollis was first formally described in 1902 by the German zoologist August Brauer with its type locality given as the central Indian Ocean from a depth of 2,200 m (7,200 ft), collected on the Valdivia Expedition. [5] The 5th edition of Fishes of the World classifies this taxon in the family Linophrynidae, within the suborder Ceratioidei, the deep sea anglerfishes, of the anglerfish order Lophiiformes. [6]

Etymology

Haplophryne is a combination of haplo and phryne. Haplo means "single", Regan did not explain this what this alluded to but it may be to the holotype of A. mollis, a male which was "without nasal papillae". Phryne, which means "toad", is commonly used in the names of anglerfish genera. Its use may date as far back as Aristotle and Cicero, who referred to anglerfishes as “fishing-frogs” and “sea-frogs,” respectively, possibly because of their resemblance to frogs and toads. The specific name, mollis, means "soft" an allusion to the thick, soft and unpigmented skin of the holotype. [7]

Description

Adult female Haplophryne mollis are much larger than adult males, with a maximum length of 16 cm (6.3 in), but 8 cm (3 in) is a more common length. [3] As in other angler fish, the front dorsal fin is replaced by a lure (illicium or esca) that protrudes forward and over the mouth to attract prey, but in this species this just consists of a flap of skin and there is no "fishing rod". The fish has spine-like ornamentation above the eyes and at the corners of the jaws. The head is large and angular, with a very wide mouth armed with numerous small teeth in both jaws. The dorsal fin, which has no spines but consists of three soft rays, is set far back on the body; the anal fin also has three soft rays and the tail is rounded. [3]

Unlike most other deepsea anglerfish, H. mollis lacks pigmentation, and both sexes appear pallid and translucent, with the musculature and portions of the skeleton clearly showing through the skin. Free-living males only grow to about 2 cm (0.8 in), and differ from the adult and juvenile females by the noticeable lack of a short, bubble-like esca and having comparatively small fins. Juvenile females lack the spinous ornamentation on the head. [8]

Distribution

Because of the great depths at which this fish lives, it is seldom encountered by humans. In 2009 it was reported that 88 known female specimens had been observed. The type specimen was described by the German zoologist August Brauer in 1902 from the Indian Ocean. Another Indian Ocean specimen was a free-living male caught off Western Australia. Other specimens have been trawled from the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, between 55°N and 40°S. Further specimens have been found in the Pacific Ocean off eastern Australia, New Caledonia and New Zealand, with isolated findings near Hawaii and in the Gulf of Panama. [9] It is found in the bathypelagic and mesopelagic zones of tropical and subtropical parts of the world's oceans at depths down to about 2,250 m (7,400 ft). [3]

Life cycle and ecology

Male H. mollis are at first free-living, but when they have found a female they latch onto her with their teeth. In most anglerfish the point of attachment for the male is on the belly, close to the anus, but in H. mollis the attachment site can be anywhere on the head or body, and in one case, a male attached to the female's esca (lure). The males orient themselves in random directions, and there may be more than one male per female. A papilla, or conical fleshy protuberance, grows at the site of attachment which may assist the male to establish a good grip. The mouth of the male is partially blocked by the papilla, but an opening usually remains at either side which suffices for allowing a flow of water over the gills. As time passes, the male becomes fused to the female and their tissues combine. The male can be considered as a parasite of the female but only about 30% of mature females encountered have an attached male, so many females may never encounter a mate, and remain in a solitary, non-reproductive state for the duration of their lives. [10]

Related Research Articles

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

Leftvents are a family, the Linophrynidae, of marine ray-finned fishes which is classified within the suborder Ceratioidei, the deep sea anglerfishes. These fishes are found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans.

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

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<i>Linophryne arborifera</i> Species of fish

Linophryne arborifera, or illuminated netdevil, is an anglerfish of the family Linophrynidae, found in all tropical and subtropical oceans at depths below 1,000 m (3,300 ft) in the Bathyal zone. Its length is up to 77 mm. The female is significantly larger than the mature, parasitic male.

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

Certaiidae, the warty sea devils, caruncled seadevils or seadevils, are a family of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the suborder Ceratioidei, the deep-sea anglerfishes, in the anglerfish order Lophiiformes. The warty sea devils are sexually dimorphic with the small males being obligate sexual parasites of the much larger females. The fishes in this family are widely distributed from polar to tropical seas around the world.

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

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.

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

Oneirodidae, the dreamers are a family of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the order Lophiiformes, the anglerfishes. These fishes are deepwater fishes found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans and it is the most diverse family of fishes in the bathypelagic zone.

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

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

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.

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

The humpback anglerfish is a species of black seadevil in the family of Melanocetidae, which means "black whale" in Greek. The species is named after James Yate Johnson, the English naturalist who discovered the first specimen in Madeira in 1863. The common names include anglerfish, viperfish and fangtoothfish.

<i>Caulophryne polynema</i> Species of fish

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.

<i>Borophryne</i> Species of fish

Borophryne apogon, the netdevil, or greedy seadevil, is a species of leftvent anglerfish known today from the waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean off the Central American coast. It is found at depths down to around 1,750 m (5,700 ft). This species grows to a length of 8.3 centimetres (3.3 in) TL. A fossil specimen of this species has been found in the Los Angeles Basin dating back to the Late Miocene, some eight million years ago.

<i>Danaphryne</i> Monotypic genus of fish

Danaphryne is a monospecific genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Oneirodidae, the dreamers, a family of deep sea anglerfishes. The only species in the genus is Danaphryne nigrifilis which is found in the tropical and temperate regions of all of the world's oceans.

<i>Linophryne indica</i> Species of fish

Linophryne indica, or headlight angler, is a leftvent anglerfish in the family Linophrynidae, found in the bathyal zone of the Pacific Ocean at depths below 1,000 m (3,300 ft). The female is significantly larger than the mature male. A fossil specimen of this species has been found in the Los Angeles Basin dating back to the Late Miocene, some eight million years ago.

<i>Caulophryne pelagica</i> Species of fish

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.

<i>Caulophryne jordani</i> Species of fish

Caulophryne jordani, the fanfin angler, 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 Oceanic waters around the world. 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.

<i>Ceratias uranoscopus</i> Species of fish

Ceratias uranoscopus, the stargazing seadevil, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ceratiidae, the warty sea devils. The fish is both bathypelagic and mesopelagic and can typically be found at depths ranging from 500 to 1,000 metres. It is endemic to tropical waters and can be found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans.

<i>Chaenophryne draco</i> Species of fish

Chaenophryne draco, the smooth dreamer, or smooth-headed dreamer, is a species marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Oneirodidae, the dreamers, a family of deep sea anglerfishes. This predatory, deep-sea fish is found in the tropical and subtropical oceans around the world. Like other deep-sea anglerfishes it is sexually dimorphic with the matamorphosed females dwarfing the metamorphosed males, the males are not sexual parasites.

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<i>Acentrophryne dolichonema</i> Species of angler fish

Acentrophryne dolichonema is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Linophrynidae, the leftvents, a family of deep sea anglerfishes. This species is only known from the eastern Pacific Ocean off the coast of Peru.

<i>Acentrophryne longidens</i> Species of fish

Acentrophryne longidens is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Linophryidae, the leftvents, a family of deep sea anglerfishes. This species is only known from the eastern Pacific Ocean off the coast of Costa Rica and Panama.

References

  1. ↑ Knudsen, S. (2015). "Haplophryne mollis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2015: e.T60470770A60791264. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T60470770A60791264.en . Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  2. 1 2 Bailly, Nicolas (2015). "Haplophryne mollis (Brauer, 1902)". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species . Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2016). "Haplophryne mollis" in FishBase . January 2016 version.
  4. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Linophrynidae". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  5. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Haplophryne". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  6. ↑ 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.
  7. ↑ Christopher Scharpf (21 August 2024). "Order LOPHIIFORMES (part 2): Families CAULOPHRYNIDAE, NEOCERATIIDAE, MELANOCETIDAE, HIMANTOLOPHIDAE, DICERATIIDAE, ONEIRODIDAE, THAUMATICHTHYIDAE, CENTROPHRYNIDAE, CERATIIDAE, GIGANTACTINIDAE and LINOPHRYNIDAE". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  8. ↑ Pietsch, Theodore (2009). Oceanic Anglerfishes Extraordinary Diversity in the Deep Sea. Berkeley and Los Angeles, California: University of California Press. pp. 155–157. ISBN   978-0-520-25542-5.
  9. ↑ Pietsch, Theodore W. (2009). Oceanic Anglerfishes: Extraordinary Diversity in the Deep Sea. University of California Press. p. 483. ISBN   978-0-520-25542-5.
  10. ↑ Pietsch, Theodore W. (2009). Oceanic Anglerfishes: Extraordinary Diversity in the Deep Sea. University of California Press. pp. 301–305. ISBN   978-0-520-25542-5.
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