| Bovichtus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| illustration of Callionymus diacanthus | |
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| Bovichtus angustifrons | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Bovichtidae |
| Genus: | Bovichtus Valenciennes, 1832 |
| Type species | |
| Callionymus diacanthus Carmichael, 1819 [1] | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
| |
Bovichtus is a genus of fish in the family Bovichtidae found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean.
Bovichtus was formally described as a genus in 1832 by the French zoologist Achille Valenciennes with Callionymus diacanthus, which had been described by the Scottish botanist and officer in the British Army Dugald Carmichael in 1819 with the type locality given as Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic, [2] as the type species. [1] The name of the genus, Bovichtus, is derived from bovus meaning "bull" and ichthys which means fish, based on the local name for Bovichtus species in Valparaiso, Chile, torito, meaning "little bull". [3]
There are currently 8 recognized species in this genus: [4]
A genetic review of the South American species found that B. argentinus and the specimens claimed to be of "B. diacanthus" collected off South America were all the same species, the oldest name for which would be B. chilensis, this includes B. elongatus of the Antarctic as a synonym of B. chilensis. [6] This does not appear to have been widely accepted. [4] [1]
Bovichtus fishes have a terminal, protractile mouth with teeth on the palatine. There is a robust backwards pointing spine on the operculum. They have a single lateral line and the anterior dorsal fin is spiny and starts above the operculum. The soft rays in the posterior dorsal fin and the anal fin are simple, the rear most anal fin rays are thickened and longer than the front rays. If they have any scales, they are restricted to an isolated patch to the rear of the base of the pectoral fins. [7] They are normally mottled in colour and their gill membranes direct the exiting water upwards, an adaptation for a sedentary benthic lifestyle. In the pectoral fins the lowest rays are unbranched with a thick cuticle, extend a little beyond the membrane and have upturned tips, the rearmost anal fin rays are also structured like this. This is apparently convergent with the unrelated blennies of the subfamily Blenniinae and may be an adaptation for clinging on to surfaces. Any scales present ate cteniod. [8]
Bovichtus fishes are found in the temperate and Antarctic waters of the Southern Hemisphere. They occur along both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of southern South American, off the Antarctic Peninsula, Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic Ile St Paul in the southern Indian Ocean, southern Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, the Campbell Plateau and on seamounts to the east of New Zealand in the southern Pacific. [9] One species, B. oculus is found in deep waters on the Campbell Plateau while all of the remaining species have their adult form as benthic dwellers on rocky reefs in shallow waters or in tidal or inter-tidal pools. [8]
Bovichtus are mainly benthic species, waiting on the substrate to ambush prey and have been seen perched underneath or upside down on surfaces, presumably using their adapted pectoral and anal fins to grip with. Their diet is made up of invertebrates, mainly crustaceans and worms. At least one species has a pelagic larval phase which allows for dispersal and may account for the relatively wide distribution of the genus compared to the other two genera in the family Bovichtidae. [8]
The Bathydraconidae, or the Antarctic dragonfishes, are a family of marine ray-finned fishes, notothenioids belonging to the Perciform suborder Notothenioidei. The family comprises four genera. These fishes are endemic to deep waters off Antarctica.
Bovichtidae, the temperate icefishes or thornfishes, is a family of marine ray-finned fishes, classified in the suborder Notothenioidei of the order Perciformes. They are native to coastal waters off Australia, New Zealand, and South America.
Bovichtus variegatus, the thornfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Bovichtidae, the temperate icefishes or thornfishes. It is endemic to New Zealand.
Notothenia is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Nototheniidae, the notothens or cod icefishes with the species in this genus often having the common name of rockcod. They are native to the Southern Ocean and other waters around Antarctica.
The Artedidraconidae, barbeled plunderfishes, are a family of marine ray-finned fishes, notothenioids belonging to the Perciform suborder Notothenioidei. The family comprises four genera. These fishes are endemic to deep waters off Antarctica.
Harpagifer, the spiny plunderfishes is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes, belonging to the family Harpagiferidae, it is the only genus in this monotypic family. They are found in the Southern Ocean.
Chionodraco hamatus is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Channichthyidae, the crocodile icefishes. It is found in the Southern Ocean.
Zanclorhynchus spinifer, also known as the Antarctic horsefish or spiny horsefish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Congiopodidae, the horsefishes or pigfishes. This fish is found in the Southern Ocean where it occurs at depths of from 5 to 400 metres. This species grows to a length of 40 centimetres (16 in) TL and is of minor importance to the commercial fishery industry.
Mawson's dragonfish is a species of Antarctic dragonfish native to the Southern Ocean around Antarctica. It is found at depths of from 110 to 300 metres over the continental shelf. This species is the only known member of its genus.
Gerlachea is a monotypic genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Bathydraconidae, the Antarctic dragonfishes, its only species is Gerlachea australis. It is found at depths of from 200 to 670 metres over the Antarctic continental shelf. This species is the only known member of its genus.
Prionodraco is a monotypic genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Bathydraconidae, the Antarctic dragonfishes, its only species is Prionodraco evansii. These fishes are native to the Southern Ocean.
Vomeridens is a monotypic genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Bathydraconidae, the Antarctic dragonfishes, its only species is Vomeridens infuscipinnis. These fishes are native to the Southern Ocean.
Cottoperca is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Bovichtidae, the temperate icefishes or thornfishes. They are found in the southeastern Pacific, southwestern Atlantic and northern Southern Oceans off southern South America.
Chionobathyscus dewitti is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Channichthyidae, the crocodile icefishes. This species is found in the Southern Ocean.
Pseudochaenichthys is a monotypic genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Channichthyidae, the crocodile icefishes. Its only member is Pseudochaenichthys georgianus, the South Georgia icefish, which is found in the Southern Ocean.
Nototheniops is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Nototheniidae, the notothens or cod icefishes. The species in this genus are native to the Southern Ocean.
Gobionotothen acuta, the triangular rockcod or the triangular notothen, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Nototheniidae, the notothens or cod icefishes. It is native to the French Southern and Antarctic Lands, the Heard Islands and the Kerguelen Plateau in the Southern Ocean.
Bovictus diacanthus, the Tristan klipfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a temperate icefish or thornfish, belonging to the family Bovichtidae. It is endemic to two isolated, small island groups in the South Atlantic.
Bovichtus angustifrons, the dragonet, horny, horny thornfish, marblefish, thornfish or variegated marblefish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a temperate icefish or thornfish, belonging to the family Bovichtidae. It is endemic to southeastern Australia and Tasmania on rocky reefs in shallow waters.
Notothenia trigramma is a species of marine ray-finned fish, belonging to the family Nototheniidae, the notothens or cod icefishes. It occurs in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean.