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R. K. DELL
member on the Patagonian shelf. The family is considered to be the
most primitive representative of the cods.
Family Nototheniidae. Four of the known five genera with no less
than 21 species occur in the Antarctic.
Family Harpagiferidae. Four genera of Plunder fishes, Artedidraco,
Dolloidraco, Histiodram, and Pogonophryne, with eight species inhabit
the shelf of the Antarctic Continent. The fifth genus, Harpagifer is
almost entirely Subantaretic, with one species occurring off the Antarctic Peninsula.
Family Bathydraconidae. The Antarctic dragon fishes are another
typical Antarctic family, six of the genera and 13 species occurring
along the coasts of the Antarctic continent.
The white-blooded, or ice fishes, have
become the most renowned group of Antarctic fishes since recent investigations showed that all members of the family have colourless blood
with neither haemoglobin nor erythrocytes. Eleven species belonging to
seven genera have been recorded from Antarctic coasts, with additional
species and genera in South Georgia and the Subantarctic.
Family Zoarcidae. The eel pouts are essentially a Northern Hemisphere family, very well represented in the Arctic and northern Pacific
and Antarctic Oceans. However, four genera with five species occur in
the Antarctic with many additional representatives on the Patagonian
shelf.
Family Liparidae (Fig. 14). The distribution of the family of sea
snails is similar to that of the Zoarcidae. Two species of the genus
Paraliparis occur in Antarctic waters, with another three species
belonging to two genera in South Georgia.
Family Bothidae. The left-eye flounders are characteristic of tropical
and subtropical waters. A member of the genus Achiropsetta occurs in
the Antarctic, with a species of Manmpsetta in South Georgia and the
Subantarctic.
The abyssal fishes of the Antarctic are poorly known as yet. The
deepest bottom living fish so far known is Bassogigas brucei (family
Brotulidae) from 4 571 m in the Weddell Sea. The majority of the rest
of the known abyssal fauna belonging to the family Macrouridae (rat
tails).
The outstanding feature of the systematic composition of the
Antarctic bottom fish fauna is the overwhelming part played by the
one superfamily, the Notothenioidea (Nototheniiformes) (Fig. 15).
This superfamily comprises the four Antarctic families, the Nototheniidae, the Harpagiferidae, the Bathydraconidae and the Chaenichthyidae,
together with the essentially Subantarctic family, the Bovichthyidae.
Family Chaenichthyidae.
R. K. DELL
member on the Patagonian shelf. The family is considered to be the
most primitive representative of the cods.
Family Nototheniidae. Four of the known five genera with no less
than 21 species occur in the Antarctic.
Family Harpagiferidae. Four genera of Plunder fishes, Artedidraco,
Dolloidraco, Histiodram, and Pogonophryne, with eight species inhabit
the shelf of the Antarctic Continent. The fifth genus, Harpagifer is
almost entirely Subantaretic, with one species occurring off the Antarctic Peninsula.
Family Bathydraconidae. The Antarctic dragon fishes are another
typical Antarctic family, six of the genera and 13 species occurring
along the coasts of the Antarctic continent.
The white-blooded, or ice fishes, have
become the most renowned group of Antarctic fishes since recent investigations showed that all members of the family have colourless blood
with neither haemoglobin nor erythrocytes. Eleven species belonging to
seven genera have been recorded from Antarctic coasts, with additional
species and genera in South Georgia and the Subantarctic.
Family Zoarcidae. The eel pouts are essentially a Northern Hemisphere family, very well represented in the Arctic and northern Pacific
and Antarctic Oceans. However, four genera with five species occur in
the Antarctic with many additional representatives on the Patagonian
shelf.
Family Liparidae (Fig. 14). The distribution of the family of sea
snails is similar to that of the Zoarcidae. Two species of the genus
Paraliparis occur in Antarctic waters, with another three species
belonging to two genera in South Georgia.
Family Bothidae. The left-eye flounders are characteristic of tropical
and subtropical waters. A member of the genus Achiropsetta occurs in
the Antarctic, with a species of Manmpsetta in South Georgia and the
Subantarctic.
The abyssal fishes of the Antarctic are poorly known as yet. The
deepest bottom living fish so far known is Bassogigas brucei (family
Brotulidae) from 4 571 m in the Weddell Sea. The majority of the rest
of the known abyssal fauna belonging to the family Macrouridae (rat
tails).
The outstanding feature of the systematic composition of the
Antarctic bottom fish fauna is the overwhelming part played by the
one superfamily, the Notothenioidea (Nototheniiformes) (Fig. 15).
This superfamily comprises the four Antarctic families, the Nototheniidae, the Harpagiferidae, the Bathydraconidae and the Chaenichthyidae,
together with the essentially Subantarctic family, the Bovichthyidae.
Family Chaenichthyidae.