Body white to grey-brown, underside darker; top of
snout and anterior nostrils darkly pigmented in breeding
males. Attains ca. 55 cm. Known from both coasts of South
Africa (1 061- 2 560 m); circumglobal at tropical and temperate latitudes.
53.1 A/drovandia affinis: 18 em RPL.
53.2 Aldrovandia phalacra
(Vaillant, 1888)
Halosaurus phalacrus Vaillant, 1888: 45, PI. 15, Fig. 3, PI. 16, Fig. 1
(Atlantic, south of Azores, 1442 m) . Halosaurus sp. Gilchrist, 1908: 171.
Aldrovandia phalacra: McDowell, 1973: 91*; Sulak , 1977: 12*.
D 1,9-11; P 1,11-13; V 1,8; LL scales anterior to vent 24-28; GR (total)
19-23; pyloric caeca 5-8. V inserted well before D. Preoral portion of
snout short, ca. \IJ total snout length. The closely related A. oleosa Sulak,
1977, which may occur in our area, has fewer LL scales (16-21) anterior to
the vent.
Body light grey; head silvery blue on top and sides,
darker below and on gill covers. Anterior nostrils of breeding males black. Attains ca. 47 cm. One specimen off Cape
Point (1 390 m). On both sides of Atlantic, off Hawaii and
India. Depth range 500 - 2 300 m.
53.2 A/drovandia pha/aera: 15 em RPL.
Genus Halosauropsis Collett, 1896
Monotypic.
53.3 Halosauropsis macrochir
(Gunther, 1878)
Halosaurus macrochir Giinther, 1878: 250 (off Gibraltar, 1993 m);
Giinther 1887: 232'. Halosaurus niger Gilchrist, 1908: 170' (off Cape
Point, 1463 - 1 701 m); Gilchrist & von Bonde , 1924: 10. Halosauropsis
macrochir Smith, SI1iA No. 170; McDowell, 1973: 74*; Golovan, 1976:
307; Pakhorukov, 1976: 326; Sulak , 1977: 11.
53: HALOSAURIDAE (HALOSAURS)
D 11-13; P 1,11-12; V 1,9; LL scales anterior to vent 26-32; GR (total)
15-16; pyloric caeca 10-12. V inserted just before D. Preoral portion of
snout short, ca. 1/3 or less of total snout length . Snout broad, rounded;
mouth large. Scales present on opercular bone. Pyloric caeca unpigmented and arranged in a double row.
Body deep greyish black to bluish black; top of head, gill
isthmus and branchiostegal membranes black. The largest
of the halosaurs, it attains ca. 90 cm. Off Cape Point and
Beira; also in 1100 - 3 200 m along continental margins in
Atlantic, at Prince Edward Id., Indian Ocean and off New
Zealand.
53.3 Ha/osauropsis maeroehir: 29 em (off Cape of Good Hope).
Genus Halosaurus Johnson, 1863
Eight species; 1 in our area. H. attenuatus Garman, 1899
recorded in the eastern Atlantic (Sulak, 1977), lives deeper
(ca. 2 200 - 2 600 m) than H. ovenii; it has a cylindrical body
and only 4-5 short, black pyloric caeca.
53.4 Halosaurus ovenii
Johnson, 1863
Halosaurus ovenii Johnson, 1863: 406, PI. 36, Fig. 2 (off Madeira);
Smith , SFSA No. 169*; McDowell, 1973: 56*; Golovan, 1976: 307; Sulak,
1977: 11.
D 1,8-9; P I, 13-16; V 1,9; LL scales anterior to the vent 59-68; GR
(total) 11-14; pyloric caeca 12-20. Body compressed .
Colour pinkish with silvery reflections, upper half conspicuously darker. Lining of mouth with characteristic pale
areas; pyloric caeca unpigmented. Attains ca. 45-50 cm. Off
Cape Point to Walvis Bay and both sides of Atlantic, in 4001700m.
53.4 Halosaurus ovenii: 16 em RPL.
197
snout and anterior nostrils darkly pigmented in breeding
males. Attains ca. 55 cm. Known from both coasts of South
Africa (1 061- 2 560 m); circumglobal at tropical and temperate latitudes.
53.1 A/drovandia affinis: 18 em RPL.
53.2 Aldrovandia phalacra
(Vaillant, 1888)
Halosaurus phalacrus Vaillant, 1888: 45, PI. 15, Fig. 3, PI. 16, Fig. 1
(Atlantic, south of Azores, 1442 m) . Halosaurus sp. Gilchrist, 1908: 171.
Aldrovandia phalacra: McDowell, 1973: 91*; Sulak , 1977: 12*.
D 1,9-11; P 1,11-13; V 1,8; LL scales anterior to vent 24-28; GR (total)
19-23; pyloric caeca 5-8. V inserted well before D. Preoral portion of
snout short, ca. \IJ total snout length. The closely related A. oleosa Sulak,
1977, which may occur in our area, has fewer LL scales (16-21) anterior to
the vent.
Body light grey; head silvery blue on top and sides,
darker below and on gill covers. Anterior nostrils of breeding males black. Attains ca. 47 cm. One specimen off Cape
Point (1 390 m). On both sides of Atlantic, off Hawaii and
India. Depth range 500 - 2 300 m.
53.2 A/drovandia pha/aera: 15 em RPL.
Genus Halosauropsis Collett, 1896
Monotypic.
53.3 Halosauropsis macrochir
(Gunther, 1878)
Halosaurus macrochir Giinther, 1878: 250 (off Gibraltar, 1993 m);
Giinther 1887: 232'. Halosaurus niger Gilchrist, 1908: 170' (off Cape
Point, 1463 - 1 701 m); Gilchrist & von Bonde , 1924: 10. Halosauropsis
macrochir Smith, SI1iA No. 170; McDowell, 1973: 74*; Golovan, 1976:
307; Pakhorukov, 1976: 326; Sulak , 1977: 11.
53: HALOSAURIDAE (HALOSAURS)
D 11-13; P 1,11-12; V 1,9; LL scales anterior to vent 26-32; GR (total)
15-16; pyloric caeca 10-12. V inserted just before D. Preoral portion of
snout short, ca. 1/3 or less of total snout length . Snout broad, rounded;
mouth large. Scales present on opercular bone. Pyloric caeca unpigmented and arranged in a double row.
Body deep greyish black to bluish black; top of head, gill
isthmus and branchiostegal membranes black. The largest
of the halosaurs, it attains ca. 90 cm. Off Cape Point and
Beira; also in 1100 - 3 200 m along continental margins in
Atlantic, at Prince Edward Id., Indian Ocean and off New
Zealand.
53.3 Ha/osauropsis maeroehir: 29 em (off Cape of Good Hope).
Genus Halosaurus Johnson, 1863
Eight species; 1 in our area. H. attenuatus Garman, 1899
recorded in the eastern Atlantic (Sulak, 1977), lives deeper
(ca. 2 200 - 2 600 m) than H. ovenii; it has a cylindrical body
and only 4-5 short, black pyloric caeca.
53.4 Halosaurus ovenii
Johnson, 1863
Halosaurus ovenii Johnson, 1863: 406, PI. 36, Fig. 2 (off Madeira);
Smith , SFSA No. 169*; McDowell, 1973: 56*; Golovan, 1976: 307; Sulak,
1977: 11.
D 1,8-9; P I, 13-16; V 1,9; LL scales anterior to the vent 59-68; GR
(total) 11-14; pyloric caeca 12-20. Body compressed .
Colour pinkish with silvery reflections, upper half conspicuously darker. Lining of mouth with characteristic pale
areas; pyloric caeca unpigmented. Attains ca. 45-50 cm. Off
Cape Point to Walvis Bay and both sides of Atlantic, in 4001700m.
53.4 Halosaurus ovenii: 16 em RPL.
197