Sea toad

Sea toad
Coffinfish
Chaunax pictus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Lophiiformes
Family: Chaunacidae
Genera

Chaunacops
Chaunax

Coffinfish are a family, Chaunacidae, of deep-sea anglerfishes.[1]

They are bottom-dwelling fishes found on the continental slopes of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans, at depths of up to 2,000 metres (6,600 ft).[2]

They have large globose bodies and a short compressed tail, and are covered with small spiny scales. The largest are about 30 centimetres (12 in) in length. Their first dorsal fin ray is modified into a short bioluminescent lure which dangles forward over the mouth, which is turned upwards so as to be nearly vertical. The sensory canals of the lateral lines are especially conspicuous.[3]

Species

There are fifteen species in two genera:

  • Genus Chaunacops Garman, 1899.
    • Chaunacops coloratus (Garman, 1899).
    • Chaunacops melanostomus (Caruso, 1989).
    • Chaunacops roseus (Barbour, 1941).
  • Genus Chaunax Lowe, 1846.
    • Chaunax abei Le Danois, 1978.
    • Chaunax breviradius Le Danois, 1978.
    • Coffinfish, Chaunax endeavouri Whitley, 1929.
    • Chaunax fimbriatus Hilgendorf, 1879.
    • Chaunax flammeus Le Danois, 1979.
    • Chaunax latipunctatus Le Danois, 1984.
    • Chaunax penicillatus McCulloch, 1915.
    • Pink frogmouth, Chaunax pictus Lowe, 1846.
    • Redeye gaper, Chaunax stigmaeus Fowler, 1946.
    • Chaunax suttkusi Caruso, 1989.
    • Chaunax tosaensis Okamura & Oryuu, 1984.
    • Chaunax umbrinus Gilbert, 1905.

References

  1. ^ Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2006). "Chaunacidae" in FishBase. February 2006 version.
  2. ^ Bertelsen, E. & Pietsch, T.W. (1998). Paxton, J.R. & Eschmeyer, W.N.. ed. Encyclopedia of Fishes. San Diego: Academic Press. pp. 140. ISBN 0-12-547665-5. 
  3. ^ John H. Caruso (2005). "Chaunacidae". Tree of Life web project. http://tolweb.org/Chaunacidae. Retrieved 3 April 2006. 
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