| Mephisto | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Tetraodontiformes |
| Family: | Triacanthodidae |
| Subfamily: | Triacanthodinae |
| Genus: | Mephisto Tyler, 1966 |
| Type species | |
| Mephisto fraserbrunneri Tyler 1966 | |
Mephisto is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Triacanthodidae, the spikefishes. These fishes are found in the Indian Ocean.
Mephisto was first proposed as a monospecific genus in 1966 by the American ichthyologist James C. Tyler when he described Mephisto fraserbrunneri, which he designated as the type species. [1] When he described M. fraserbrunneri Tyler gave its type locality as the Bay of Bengal at 10°39'N, 97°06'E from a depth of 159 fathoms (954 ft; 291 m). [2] In 1968 James C. Tyler classified this genus in the nominate subfamily of the family Triacanthodidae, the Triacanthodinae. [3] The 5th edition of Fishes of the World classifies the family Triacanthodidae in the suborder Triacanthoidei in the order Tetraodontiformes. [4]
Mephisto is the name of a demon, the Mephistopheles of the Faustian tales of German folklore. This name refres to the reddish exterior, black interior and horn-like spikes of the type species. [5]
Mephisto contains two recognised species: [1]
Mephisto spikefishes have six spines in the dorsal fin, these gradually decrease in size from the front to the rear but the rearmost spine is still clearly visible. They have a snout which is shorter than the length of the remainder of the head and which is nearly equal to the between the eye and the upper end of the gill slit. They have a single row of large and conical teeth in each jaw. [6] These fishes have the longest gill slts of their family, the lower margin of the slit reaches slightly below the lower margin of the lobe at the base of the pectoral fin. [7] M. albomaculosus is knowm from its holotype which had a standard length of 94.4 mm (3.72 in), [8] while M. fraserbrunneri has a maximum published standard length of 105.8 mm (4.17 in). [7]
Mephisto spikefishes have been recorded from the Indian Ocean from off Somalia east to off Myanmar at depths between 74 and 446 m (243 and 1,463 ft). [7]
The spikefishes are ray-finned fishes related to the pufferfishes and triggerfishes. They live in deep waters; more than 50 m (160 ft), but above the continental shelves. They are found in the Atlantic, Indian Ocean, and the west-central Pacific.
Kentrocapros is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Aracanidae, the deepwater boxfishes or temperate boxfishes. These fishes are found in the coastal waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Pseudotriacanthus is a monospecific genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Triacanthidae, the triplespines or tripodfishes. The only species in this genus is Pseudotriacanthus strigilifer, the longspined tripodfish. This taxon is found in the Indo-West Pacific region.
Triacanthus is a genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Triacanthidae, the triplespines or tripodfishes. The two species in this genus are found in the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean.
Atrophacanthus is a monospecific genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Triacanthodidae, the spikefishes. The only species in the genus is Atrophacanthus japonicus, the upward-mouth spikefish, which is found in the Indo-West Pacific region.
Bathyphylax is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Triacanthodidae, the spikefishes. The fishes in this genus are found in the deep waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Halimochirurgus is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Triacanthodidae, the spikefishes. The fishes in this genus are found in the deep waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Johnsonina is a monospecific genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Triacanthodidae, the spikefishes. The only species in the genus is Johnsonina eriomma, the bullseye spikefish, which is found in the Western Atlantic Ocean.
Macrorhamphosodes, the trumpetsnouts, is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Triacanthodidae, the spikefishes. The fishes in this genus are found in the deep waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Mephisto fraserbrunneri, the devil's spikefish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Triacanthodidae, the spikefishes. This species is found in the Indian Ocean.
Parahollardia is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Triacanthodidae, the spikefishes. These demersal fishes are found in the Western Atlantic Ocean.
Paratriacanthodes is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Triacanthodidae, the spikefishes. These fishes are found found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Triacanthodes is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Triacanthodidae, the spikefishes. These fishes are found found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Tydemania navigatoris, the fleshy-lipped spikefish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Triacanthodidae, the spikefishes. This species is found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans where it occurs at depths of from 50 to 607 metres. This species grows to a length of 12 centimetres (4.7 in) SL. This fish is specialized to feed on the scales of other fishes. This species is the only known member of the genus Tydemania.
Triacanthodes ethiops, the shortsnout spikefish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Triacanthodidae, the spikefishes. This species is found in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean.
Paratriacanthodes retrospinis, the sawspine spikefish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Triacanthodidae, the spikefishes. This species is found in the Indo-Pacific region.
Triacanthodes anomalus, the red spikefish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Triacanthodidae, the spikefishes. This species is found in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean.
Hollardiinae is a subfamily of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Triacanthodidae, the spikefishes. This small subfamily comprises two genera and a total of five species and all, except one species, are found in the tropical and subtropical waters of the Western Atlantic Ocean. The exception is found in the western and central Pacific Ocean.
Triacanthodinae is a subfamily of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Triacanthodidae, the spikefishes. This subfamily comprises nine genera and a total of nineteen species and all, except one species, are found in the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indo-Pacific. The exception is found in the western Atlantic Ocean.
Mephisto albomaculosus, the white spotted spikefish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Triacanthodidae, the spikefishes. This species is found in the Indian Ocean.