Phyllophryne

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Phyllophryne
PhyllophrynScortea3RonGreer.jpg
A Whitespotted Anglerfish, Phyllophryne scortea, at Edithburg, South Australia, December 2006
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Lophiiformes
Family: Antennariidae
Subfamily: Histiophryninae
Genus: Phyllophryne
Pietsch, 1984
Species:
P. scortea
Binomial name
Phyllophryne scortea
(McCulloch & Waite, 1918)
Synonyms [1]
  • Histiophryne scortea McCulloch & Waite, 1918
  • Histiophryne scortea inconstans McCulloch & Waite, 1918

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.

Taxonomy

Phyllophryne was first proposed as a monospecific genus in 1984 by the American ichthyologist Theodore Wells Pietsch III with Histiophryne scortea designated as the type species. [2] H. scortea was first formally described in 1918 by Allan Riverstone McCulloch and Edgar Ravenswood Waite with its type locality given as Stansbury on Gulf St Vincent in South Australia. [3] Some authorities classify this genus in the subfamily Histiophryninae within the family Antennariidae., [4] while others recognise it as the family Histiophrynidae. [5] 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. [6]

Etymology

Phyllophryne is a combination of phyllon, which means "leaf", a reference to the many, scattered, cutaneous appendages on head and body which resemble leaves, with phryne, which means "toad", a suffix commonly used in the names of anglerfish genera, dating back to Aristotle and Cicero, who called anglerfishes "fishing frogs" or sea frogs". The specific name scotrea means "leathery" referring to the texture of its skin. [7]

Description

Phyllophryne has the second and third dorsal spines are not hidden underneath the skin. The seven inner rays of the caudal fin are forked while the outer rays are simple. The skin is smooth with no dermal denticles and there is no caudal peduncle. The rear margins of the dorsal and anal fins is not connected to the outer rays of the caudal fin by a membrane. [4] The skin has scattered fleshy appendages. The illicium, the fishing rod, has an oval esca or lure with a number of filaments at its tip. This fish varies in colour from green, yellow, orange, brown to dark grey or black, frequently with whitish mottles or spots. The dorsal fin is supported bybetween 7 and 9 soft rays. 15 or 16 soft rays while the anal fin contains [8] The white-spotted anglerfish has a maximum published total length of 10 cm (3.9 in). [1]

Distribution and habitat

Phyllophryne is endemic to southern Australia. It is distributed from Green Cape, New South Wales and Tasmania west to the Houtman Abrolhos off Western Australia. This is a benthic fish is found in temperate waters [1] at depths down to 44 m (144 ft) on rocky reefs in bays, estuaries and coastal environments, frequently hiding under rocks and among sponges. [8]

Biology

Phyllophryne is camouflaged to match the encrusting algae and sponges in their habitat. It is a carnivorous fish that uses the esca to attract prey to within striking distance of the large mouth. They are oviparous fish and the female lays the eggs onto rocky surfaces. Once laid the fertilised eggs are tended by the male who curls around them so they are protected beyween his tail and his body. [8]

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">Sargassum fish</span> Species of fish

The sargassum fish, anglerfish, or frog fish is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Antennariidae, the frogfishes, the only species in the genus Histrio. It lives among Sargassum seaweed which floats in subtropical oceans. The scientific name comes from the Latin histrio meaning a stage player or actor and refers to the fish's feeding behaviour.

<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">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 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>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.

<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 crassispina</i> Species of fish

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.

<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. 1 2 3 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2024). "Phyllophryne scortea" in FishBase. February 2024 version.
  2. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Histiophrynidae". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  3. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Phyllophryne". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  4. 1 2 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.
  5. ↑ Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2024). "Histiophrynidae" in FishBase . February 2024 version.
  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 (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 15 April 2024.
  8. 1 2 3 Bray, D.J. (2018). "Phyllophryne scortea". Fishes of Australia. Museums Victoria. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
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