78: NOTOSUDIDAE (NOTOSUDIDS)
Body translucent greyish, above LL densely marked with
melanophores; innermost V rays heavily pigmented with
black. Attains 20 (?) cm. From about 19° to 43°S, epipelagic
to mesopelagic when adolescent, benthopelagic on slopes in
about 500 m when adult; all 3 oceans.
78.7 Scopelosaurus smithii
Bean, 1925
Scopelosaurus smithii Bean, 1925: 13 (off Brazil); Bertelsen et aI., 1976:
44*.
D 10-12; A 17-19; P 11-14(15); V 9; GR 1 +(13-17); LL53-56; vertebrae
53-56; 12-16 pyloric caeca.
Blackish on head and back, somewhat paler below; live
juveniles bright silvery below LL. Attains 25 cm. Mainly
tropical between 200N and 20 0 S, larger juveniles and adults
migrating into subtropical waters in all 3 oceans. Juveniles
epipelagic to mesopelagic, adults benthopelagic over continental and insular slopes. A single adult taken by the Russian research trawler Fiolent at 24°40'S, 35°38'E.
78.7 Scopelosaurus smithi: 13 em (after Bertelsen et ai., 1976).
Family No. 79: SYNODONTIDAE
by R.F. Cressey
Lizardfishes
Akkedisvisse
Body fusiform. Fins with branched and unbranched rays,
no spines. Pelvic fins with 8 or 9 rays. Nostrils double,
anterior with dermal flap on posterior margin. Mouth large,
with caniniform teeth along margins of both jaws, 2 or 4
groups of palatine teeth. Gill-rakers minute. Scale counts
above lateral line are from dorsal fin origin diagonally to
lateral line; scales below lateral line are diagonally from
lateral line to anal fin origin.
Adults taken from shore out to 4 100 m. Distribution of
most species restricted to major oceans, few circumglobal.
Four genera, with 50 species. Indo-West Pacific Synodus
(21 species) recently revised by Cressey (1981). Data on
Bathysaurus supplied by K. Sulak.
KEY TO GENERA
1a Drays 15-18; LL scales enlarged (depth range
900 - 4100 m) ..................................................... Bathysaurus
1b Drays 9-14; LL scales not enlarged (depth range
I-300m) ........................................................................ 2
270
2a V rays 8; primary C rays without scales .................................. 3
2b V rays 9; procurrent and primary C rays with scales .......... Saurida
2b
3a Snout length less than diameter of bony orbit;
procurrent C rays with scales; length of A base
23-27% SL ................................................. Trachinocephalus
3a
3b Snout length greater than diameter of bony
orbit; procurrent and primary C rays without
scales; length of A base 8-18% SL .......................... .. .... Synodus
3b
Genus Bathysaurus Gunther, 1878
Two species; 1 in our area. B. mollis Gunther, 1878 has
been reported from near the Comoro Ids.; it has an adipose
fin and the LL does not extend onto C.
79.1 8athysaurus ferox
Gunther, 1878
Bathysaurus ferox Giinther, 1878: 181 (New Zealand); Smith, SFSA
No.179*;~ead, 1966: 105 ..
D 17; A 12-13; P 15; vertebrae 63; LL 65; scales above LL 13, below LL
14. No adiposefin; LL extends onto C. P reaches well past line from D origin to V origin.
Preserved specimens darker below than above; fins
darker than body, paired fins nearly black. Attains 60 cm.
79.1 Bathysaurus ferox: 52 em (from Mead, 1966).
Body translucent greyish, above LL densely marked with
melanophores; innermost V rays heavily pigmented with
black. Attains 20 (?) cm. From about 19° to 43°S, epipelagic
to mesopelagic when adolescent, benthopelagic on slopes in
about 500 m when adult; all 3 oceans.
78.7 Scopelosaurus smithii
Bean, 1925
Scopelosaurus smithii Bean, 1925: 13 (off Brazil); Bertelsen et aI., 1976:
44*.
D 10-12; A 17-19; P 11-14(15); V 9; GR 1 +(13-17); LL53-56; vertebrae
53-56; 12-16 pyloric caeca.
Blackish on head and back, somewhat paler below; live
juveniles bright silvery below LL. Attains 25 cm. Mainly
tropical between 200N and 20 0 S, larger juveniles and adults
migrating into subtropical waters in all 3 oceans. Juveniles
epipelagic to mesopelagic, adults benthopelagic over continental and insular slopes. A single adult taken by the Russian research trawler Fiolent at 24°40'S, 35°38'E.
78.7 Scopelosaurus smithi: 13 em (after Bertelsen et ai., 1976).
Family No. 79: SYNODONTIDAE
by R.F. Cressey
Lizardfishes
Akkedisvisse
Body fusiform. Fins with branched and unbranched rays,
no spines. Pelvic fins with 8 or 9 rays. Nostrils double,
anterior with dermal flap on posterior margin. Mouth large,
with caniniform teeth along margins of both jaws, 2 or 4
groups of palatine teeth. Gill-rakers minute. Scale counts
above lateral line are from dorsal fin origin diagonally to
lateral line; scales below lateral line are diagonally from
lateral line to anal fin origin.
Adults taken from shore out to 4 100 m. Distribution of
most species restricted to major oceans, few circumglobal.
Four genera, with 50 species. Indo-West Pacific Synodus
(21 species) recently revised by Cressey (1981). Data on
Bathysaurus supplied by K. Sulak.
KEY TO GENERA
1a Drays 15-18; LL scales enlarged (depth range
900 - 4100 m) ..................................................... Bathysaurus
1b Drays 9-14; LL scales not enlarged (depth range
I-300m) ........................................................................ 2
270
2a V rays 8; primary C rays without scales .................................. 3
2b V rays 9; procurrent and primary C rays with scales .......... Saurida
2b
3a Snout length less than diameter of bony orbit;
procurrent C rays with scales; length of A base
23-27% SL ................................................. Trachinocephalus
3a
3b Snout length greater than diameter of bony
orbit; procurrent and primary C rays without
scales; length of A base 8-18% SL .......................... .. .... Synodus
3b
Genus Bathysaurus Gunther, 1878
Two species; 1 in our area. B. mollis Gunther, 1878 has
been reported from near the Comoro Ids.; it has an adipose
fin and the LL does not extend onto C.
79.1 8athysaurus ferox
Gunther, 1878
Bathysaurus ferox Giinther, 1878: 181 (New Zealand); Smith, SFSA
No.179*;~ead, 1966: 105 ..
D 17; A 12-13; P 15; vertebrae 63; LL 65; scales above LL 13, below LL
14. No adiposefin; LL extends onto C. P reaches well past line from D origin to V origin.
Preserved specimens darker below than above; fins
darker than body, paired fins nearly black. Attains 60 cm.
79.1 Bathysaurus ferox: 52 em (from Mead, 1966).