72: MELANOSTOMIIDAE (SCALELESS DRAGONFISHES)
013-16; A 16-18; P 5. Photophores in ventral series: IP 8+2-3, PV 2426, VA V 12-14, total 57-59; photophores in lateral series: OV24-26, VAL
11-13, total 36-38. Vertebrae 50-52. Barbel to tip 18-25% of SL, its stem
black; barbel tip flattened, pale.
Attains at least 20 cm. Off Mozambique at about 25°S;
tropical Indo-West Pacific.
72.19 Me/anostomias paucilaternatus: barbel of holotype (after Parin & Pokhilskaya, 1976).
72.20 Melanostomias valdiviae
Brauer. 1902
Melanostomias valdiviae Brauer, 1902: 285 (off west coast of Sumatra);
1906: 56, PI. 3 (Fig. 6); Morrow & Gibbs, 1964: 365*; Parin &
Pokhilskaya, 1978: 82*; Gibbs, 1984: 360*.
o 12-16; A 17-19; P 5. Photophores in ventral series: IP 8+2-3, PV
24-28, VA V 12-14, AC9-11, total 57-63; photophores in lateral series: OV
23-26, VAL 11-15, total 36-39. Vertebrae 51-53. No prominent white
spots on head. Barbel to tip 16-23% of SL, its stem black; barbel tip pale.
Attains 23 cm. Off Cape Town and northeast of Durban;
all 3 major oceans.
72.20 Me/anostomias va/diviae: 16.5 em (after Brauer, 1906).
Genus Opostomias Gunther, 1887
Two species; 1 in our area.
72.21 Opostomias micripnus
(Gunther, 1878)
Echiostomias micripnus Gunther, 1878: 180 (off southwestern
Australia). Opostomias micripnus: Gunther, 1887: 208*; Regan &
Trewavas, 1930: 56*. Opostomias gibsonpacei Barnard, 1948: 344, Figs. 1,
2 (northwest of Cape Town); Smith, SFSA No. 136; Hulley, 1972: 213.
021-23; A 22-24; P 1 +5. Photophores in ventral series: IP 8-9 (6-7+23), PV 27-28, VA V 24-26, AC 13-15, total 72-76; photophores in lateral
row: OV 22-27, VAL 24-26, total 50-53. Anterior vertebral centra
unossified; ossified vertebrae 61-63. Barbel 18-22% ofSL, its stem black;
terminal end pale, slightly wider than stem, often constricted near its middle, with several filaments.
242
Attains about 50 cm, Occurs across the Atlantic, Pacific
and probably the Indian Ocean south of about 33°S.
72.21 Opostomias micripnus: 39 em (after Goode & Bean, 1896).
Genus Pachystomias Gunther, 1887
Monotypic.
72.22 Pachystomias microdon
(Gunther, 1878)
. -,
Echiostoma microdon Gunther, 1878: 180 (off northwestern
Australia). Pachystomias microdon: Gunther, 1887: 210*; Morrow &
Gibbs, 1964: 375*; Hulley, 1972: 214.
020-24; A 23-28; P 4-6. Photophores in both ventral and lateral series
with longer spaces dividing them into groups; in ventral series: IP 5-6 (3
groups) + 3 (mesial to the rest), PV 15-18 (2-4 groups), VA V 13-16 (2-6),
AC 8-11, total 47-50; in lateral series: OV 16-19 (2-7), VAL 12-16 (1-4),
total 29-34. Vertebrae 50-53. Barbel 3-50% of SL, generally decreasing
with growth, without terminal modification.
Attains 22 cm. Off western Cape coast, widespread in all
3 major oceans.
72.22 Pachystomias microdon: 16.5 em holotype of P. at/anticus (after Regan &
Trewavas, 1930).
Genus Photonectes Gunther, 1887
Ten or more species; 2 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Photophores in ventral row between P and V insertions
(PV) 30 or more; terminal bulb of barbel with curved,
fringed distal appendage in small specimens, the
bulb relatively small with a straight extension
with basal fringing in large specimens ................... P. parvimanus
Ib PV photophores 21-25; terminal bulb of barbel with
a small, bulbous appendage in small specimens, the bulb
becoming reduced or indiscernible in large specimens .... P. braueri
013-16; A 16-18; P 5. Photophores in ventral series: IP 8+2-3, PV 2426, VA V 12-14, total 57-59; photophores in lateral series: OV24-26, VAL
11-13, total 36-38. Vertebrae 50-52. Barbel to tip 18-25% of SL, its stem
black; barbel tip flattened, pale.
Attains at least 20 cm. Off Mozambique at about 25°S;
tropical Indo-West Pacific.
72.19 Me/anostomias paucilaternatus: barbel of holotype (after Parin & Pokhilskaya, 1976).
72.20 Melanostomias valdiviae
Brauer. 1902
Melanostomias valdiviae Brauer, 1902: 285 (off west coast of Sumatra);
1906: 56, PI. 3 (Fig. 6); Morrow & Gibbs, 1964: 365*; Parin &
Pokhilskaya, 1978: 82*; Gibbs, 1984: 360*.
o 12-16; A 17-19; P 5. Photophores in ventral series: IP 8+2-3, PV
24-28, VA V 12-14, AC9-11, total 57-63; photophores in lateral series: OV
23-26, VAL 11-15, total 36-39. Vertebrae 51-53. No prominent white
spots on head. Barbel to tip 16-23% of SL, its stem black; barbel tip pale.
Attains 23 cm. Off Cape Town and northeast of Durban;
all 3 major oceans.
72.20 Me/anostomias va/diviae: 16.5 em (after Brauer, 1906).
Genus Opostomias Gunther, 1887
Two species; 1 in our area.
72.21 Opostomias micripnus
(Gunther, 1878)
Echiostomias micripnus Gunther, 1878: 180 (off southwestern
Australia). Opostomias micripnus: Gunther, 1887: 208*; Regan &
Trewavas, 1930: 56*. Opostomias gibsonpacei Barnard, 1948: 344, Figs. 1,
2 (northwest of Cape Town); Smith, SFSA No. 136; Hulley, 1972: 213.
021-23; A 22-24; P 1 +5. Photophores in ventral series: IP 8-9 (6-7+23), PV 27-28, VA V 24-26, AC 13-15, total 72-76; photophores in lateral
row: OV 22-27, VAL 24-26, total 50-53. Anterior vertebral centra
unossified; ossified vertebrae 61-63. Barbel 18-22% ofSL, its stem black;
terminal end pale, slightly wider than stem, often constricted near its middle, with several filaments.
242
Attains about 50 cm, Occurs across the Atlantic, Pacific
and probably the Indian Ocean south of about 33°S.
72.21 Opostomias micripnus: 39 em (after Goode & Bean, 1896).
Genus Pachystomias Gunther, 1887
Monotypic.
72.22 Pachystomias microdon
(Gunther, 1878)
. -,
Echiostoma microdon Gunther, 1878: 180 (off northwestern
Australia). Pachystomias microdon: Gunther, 1887: 210*; Morrow &
Gibbs, 1964: 375*; Hulley, 1972: 214.
020-24; A 23-28; P 4-6. Photophores in both ventral and lateral series
with longer spaces dividing them into groups; in ventral series: IP 5-6 (3
groups) + 3 (mesial to the rest), PV 15-18 (2-4 groups), VA V 13-16 (2-6),
AC 8-11, total 47-50; in lateral series: OV 16-19 (2-7), VAL 12-16 (1-4),
total 29-34. Vertebrae 50-53. Barbel 3-50% of SL, generally decreasing
with growth, without terminal modification.
Attains 22 cm. Off western Cape coast, widespread in all
3 major oceans.
72.22 Pachystomias microdon: 16.5 em holotype of P. at/anticus (after Regan &
Trewavas, 1930).
Genus Photonectes Gunther, 1887
Ten or more species; 2 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Photophores in ventral row between P and V insertions
(PV) 30 or more; terminal bulb of barbel with curved,
fringed distal appendage in small specimens, the
bulb relatively small with a straight extension
with basal fringing in large specimens ................... P. parvimanus
Ib PV photophores 21-25; terminal bulb of barbel with
a small, bulbous appendage in small specimens, the bulb
becoming reduced or indiscernible in large specimens .... P. braueri