| Family Caulophrynidae - Fanfins | ||||
| Order | : | Lophiiformes |
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| Class | : | Teleostei | ||
| No. in FishBase | : | Genera : 2 | Species : 5 Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes | ||
| Environment | : | Fresh : No | Brackish : No | Marine : Yes | ||
| Division | : | Marine | ||
| Aquarium | : | none | ||
| First Fossil Record | : | |||
| Remark | : | From Nelson (1994). Distribution: Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific. Illicium lacking a distal bulb with light organ. Females play host to parasitic mature males. Pectoral radials 2. Dorsal fin 6 (in Robia) or 14-22 normal rays. Anal fin 5 (in Robia) or 12-19 rays. (Ref. 7463) Other distinguishing characters: Unlike any other anglerfish, metamorphosed females distinguished by having extremely long median dorsal- and anal-fin rays with the shortest rays measuring slightly over 60% SL (still no accurate record of their true length since, being thin and brittle, they are almost always broken off upon collection) and, although unsupported by interconnecting membranes, are well innervated and equipped with erector and depressor dorsalis muscles, allowing tactility for the detection of prey; extremely reduced maxilla, opercle, subopercle, posttemporal, and ventral portion of the cleithrum; having only 2 pectoral radials; lacking an expanded escal bulb (therefore very unlikely able to produce bioluminescence); with only 8 caudal-fin rays (a feature shared only with Cryptopsaras); neuromasts of the acoustico-lateralis system located at the tips of extremely long filaments; also, body of metamorphosed females short and globular; with a large horizontal to slightly oblique mouth; the lower jaw generally extending posteriorly past the base of the pectoral-fin lobe; with sphenotic spines; rudimentary quadrate and articular spines; lacking angular and preopercular spines; a well-developed symphysial spine on the lower jaw; upper jaw with 20 to 45 teeth, lower jaw with 12 to 34 teeth, and 1 to 5 vomerine teeth; skin is smooth and naked throughout, lacking dermal spinules. Metamorphosed males (known for only 5 specimens) with large eyes and olfactory organs; laterally directed nostrils in smaller specimens; close set and anteriorly directed anterior nostrils in larger specimens; irregular series of teeth along the ventral margin of the upper denticular bone; lower denticular divided into three lobes with 5, 8, and 5 teeth, respectively; large pectoral fins of about 40% SL; males parasitic, but probably facultative. Larvae characterized by having a short, rounded body and highly inflated skin. Notably large pectoral fins, extending posteriorly past the dorsal- and anal- fins; well developed pelvic fins having 3 or 4 rays that are lost during metamorphosis; well developed pelvic fins in young free-living stages lost with growth in later stages, including parasitic adults; apparently with no sexual dimorphism; a rudiment of the illicium projecting from the antedorsal margin of the head found in all known specimens. Dorsal-fin rays: 6 to 22, anal-fin rays: 5 to 19, pectoral-fin rays: 14 to 19, and caudal-fin rays: 8 (2 simple + 4 bifurcate + 2 simple). Largest known female 18.3 cm (C. pelagica); two known free-living males, both in metamorphosis, measures 0.77 and 1.1 cm; three known parasitic males measure 1.2 to 1.6 cm. (Ref. 86949) | ||
| Etymology | : | Greek, 'kaulos' or 'caulis' = stem + Greek, 'phryne' = toad (according to Goode and Bean (1896): "a 'phryne'-like fish with the cephalic tentacle supported on a stemlike base") ( Ref. 86949). | ||
| Reproductive guild | : | nonguarders | ||
| Typical activity level | : | |||
Main Ref. |
: | Nelson, J.S. 1994 | ||
| Coordinator | : | |||
Deep Fin Classification
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: | Osteichthyes | Actinopterygii | Actinopteri | Neopterygii | Teleostei | Osteoglossocephalai | Clupeocephala | Euteleosteomorpha | Neoteleostei | Eurypterygia | Ctenosquamata | Acanthomorphata | Acanthopterygii | Percomorphaceae | Eupercaria | | | Lophiiformes | Ceratioidei | | Caulophrynidae | ||
Important recommendation:
The list below must not be used as an authority reference synonymy list like those found in scientific published revisions, which must be the source to be used and cited eventually when they exist.
Rather, it reflects the current content of FishBase, and the progress with respect to synchronization with the Catalog of Fishes. However, we think it can be useful for users to assess the quality of information in FishBase, to start new work on the family, or to cross-check with other lists.
But we appreciate to be cited in publications when this list has been of any working value. In particular, for published scientific, we suggest then to cite it in the Material and Method section as a useful tool to conduct the research, but again, not as a taxonomic or nomenclatural authority reference.
Unless it is explicitly precised, the list is not complete, please search all original names published for the family in the Catalog of Fishes (genera, species), including those with uncertain or unknown status, that are not included in FishBase when they are not attached to a valid species.
This list uses some data from Catalog of Fishes (not shown but used to sort names).
The list ordered as follows:
- When subfamilies are recognized, nominotypical subfamily first then other subfamilies by alphabetical order.
- Type genus of the family first (or of subfamily when subfamilies are recognized) then other genera by chronological order of description (and alphabetical order).
- Type species of the genus first by chronological order (and alphabetical order), with last listed misapplied names in a light gray font.
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Please send comments and corrections if you detect errors or missing names.
| Scientifc name | Status | Senior/Junior synonym | Combination |
|---|---|---|---|
Caulophryne jordani Goode & Bean, 1896 | accepted | senior | original |
Caulophryne pelagica (Brauer, 1902) | accepted | senior | new |
Melanocetus pelagicus Brauer, 1902 | synonym | senior | original |
Caulophryne pietschi Balushkin & Fedorov, 1985 | synonym | junior | original |
Caulophryne polynema Regan, 1930 | accepted | senior | original |
Caulophryne jordani polynema Regan, 1930 | synonym | senior | change in rank |
Caulophryne bacescui Mihai-Bardan, 1982 | accepted | senior | original |
Robia legula Pietsch, 1979 | accepted | senior | original |