Rhycherus

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Rhycherus
Tassled Angler Fish.jpg
Rhycherus filamentosus
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Lophiiformes
Family: Antennariidae
Subfamily: Histiophryninae
Genus: Rhycherus
J. D. Ogilby, 1907
Type species
Rhycherus wildii
Ogilby, 1907 [1]

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.

Contents

Taxonomy

Rhycherus was first proposed as a monospecific genus in 1907 by the Australian ichthyologist James Douglas Ogilby when he described Rhycherus wildii. [1] R. wildii had its type locality given as South Australia, this taxon is now considered to be a junior synonym of Chironectes filamentosus, originally described by François-Louis Laporte, comte de Castelnau in 1872 from St Vincent Gulf in South Australia. [2] Some authorities classify this genus in the subfamily Histiophryninae within the family Antennariidae, [3] while others place it in the monotypic family Rhycheridae. [1] However, the 5th edition of Fishes of the World does not recognise subfamilies within the Antennariidae, instead classifying the family, including this genus, within the suborder Antennarioidei and the order Lophiiformes, the anglerfishes. [4]

Etymology

Rhycherus is Greek and means "ragged", an allusion to the shaggy appearance of R. filamentosus. [5]

Species

Rhycherus currently has two recognized species classified within it: [6]

Characteristics

Rhycherus anglerfishes' second and third dorsal spines are not hidden underneath their skin. All of the fin rays in their caudal fin are forked. They have smooth skin with many closely set cutaneous appendages instead of dermal denticles. Their third dorsal spin is mostly free, with only the basal quarter to third connected to the nape by a membrane. [3] The largest species in the genus is R. filamentosus, which has a maximum published total length of 23 cm (9.1 in). [6]

Distribution and habitat

Rhycherus anglerfishes are endemic to Australia. R. filamentosus is found in southeastern Australia [7] while R. gloveri is found in southwestern Australia. [8] Both species of anglerfish occur on algal-covered rocky reefs at depths down to around 150 m (490 ft). [7] [8]

Biology

Rhycherus anglerfish are oviparous. The eggs laid by the females are large, and each egg is adhered to the surface of a rock by a long filament. The male then guards the eggs with his body, protecting him until the offspring emerge. Like other anglerfish, these fish are ambush predators, luring in prey with their illicium or esca. [7]

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">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.

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

Tetrabrachiidae, or the four-armed frogfishes or doublefin frogfishes, is a small family of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the suborder Antennarioidei in the order Lophiiformes, the anglerfishes. These fishes are found in relatively shallow waters of the eastern Indian Ocean and western Pacific Ocean.

<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>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.

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 Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Rhycheridae". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  2. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Rhycherus". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  3. 1 2 Arnold, R.J.; Harcourt, R. & Pietsch, T.W. (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. S2CID   83936725.
  4. ↑ 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.
  5. ↑ 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 20 April 2024.
  6. 1 2 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Species in genus Rhycherus". FishBase . February 2024 version.
  7. 1 2 3 Bray, D.J. (2021). "Rhycherus filamentosus". Fishes of Australia. Museums Victoria. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  8. 1 2 Bray, D.J. (2019). "Rhycherus gloveri". Fishes of Australia. Museums Victoria. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
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