126: BERYCIDAE (BERYCIDS)
7b Lateral line complete, distinct; dorsal fin with 3-13 spines ............. 8
8a Dorsal fin with 10-13 strong
Family No. 126: BERYCIDAE
spines ..................................... HOLOCENTRIDAE (No. 132)
by P.C. Heemstra
8b Dorsal fin with 3-8 spines .................................. .................. 9
9a Anal fin with 4 spines and 12-30 soft-rays; each
maxilla with 2 supramaxillae ................. BERYCIDAE (No. 126)
9b Anal fin with 2 or 3 spines and 8-12
soft rays; each maxilla with only 1
supramaxilla ........................ TRACHICHTHYIDAE (No. 127)
Berycids
Berikiede
Body oblong, oval, compressed. Scales ctenoid; lateralline scales not enlarged; cheeks and operculum scaly.
Preopercle serrate, but no single large spine; opercle with
low ridge or keel ending in a spine; 2 supramaxillae. Dorsal
fin with 4-7 closely set spines and 12-20 branched soft-rays.
Anal fin with 4 spines and 12 to 30 branched soft-rays; pelvic
fins with 1 spine and 7 or 10-12 branched rays. Villiform
teeth in bands on jaws, vomer and palatines. Branchiostegal rays 8. Vertebrae 10+(14-15); predorsal bones 3.
Berycids are found worldwide (but not in eastern Pacific
Ocean) in depths of 200 - 600 m; they are of commercial
importance in some areas. Two genera with 7 species.
KEY TO GENERA
la D base longer than A base; A soft-rays 12-16;
V 1,7 ................................................................ Centroberyx
Ib D base shorter than A base; A soft-rays 25-30;
V 1,10-12 ................................................................... Beryx
Genus Beryx Cuvier, 1829
Dorsal-fin spines 4; V fins 1,10-12. Inner surface of each
scale with a small, deciduous, cartilaginous disc at rear
edge. Retrorse spine on preorbitals in front of eye, reduced
or absent in large adults. Peritoneum black. Vertebrae 24.
Two species, both in our area. The genus Actinoberyx
Roule (type-species A. jugeati Roule, 1923) is a synonym.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Body depth 44-50% SL; D IV,I6-20; LL 56-61
(not counting scales on C) ................................. B. decadactylus
Ib Body depth 36-42% SL; D IV,13-15; LL 65-70 ........... B. splendens
Seryx
126.1 Beryx decadacty/us
Cuvier, 1829
PLATE 18
Seryx
Beryx decadactylus Cuvier, in Cuv. & Val., 1829: 222 (Lisbon?); Krefft,
1961*; Penrith, 1967: 528; Abe & Maruyama, 1971*; Woods & Sonoda,
1973: 282*; Krefft, 1976: 73; Busakhin, 1982: 4*. Actinoberyx jugeati
Roule, 1923: 1027; 1924: 68*. Beryx longipinnis Barnard, 1925: 504 (Saldanha Bay & Natal); 1927: 363*. Actinoberyx longipinnis: Smith, SFSA
No. 287*.
D IV,16-20; A IV,25-29; P 15-17; V 1,10; LL56-61; GR (6-7)+(17-19).
Body depth 2.0-2.3, head length 2.8-3.0 in SL. Eye 2.3-2.9 in head. Preorbital spine with a smaller accessory spine on its anterior margin; 2 short
spines on front of snout between preorbital spines, another 2 on interorbital area and at rear end of lower jaw. Spines on head become reduced
with growth. Some specimens with 1st to 3rd D ray elongate and/or V
greatly produced.
409
7b Lateral line complete, distinct; dorsal fin with 3-13 spines ............. 8
8a Dorsal fin with 10-13 strong
Family No. 126: BERYCIDAE
spines ..................................... HOLOCENTRIDAE (No. 132)
by P.C. Heemstra
8b Dorsal fin with 3-8 spines .................................. .................. 9
9a Anal fin with 4 spines and 12-30 soft-rays; each
maxilla with 2 supramaxillae ................. BERYCIDAE (No. 126)
9b Anal fin with 2 or 3 spines and 8-12
soft rays; each maxilla with only 1
supramaxilla ........................ TRACHICHTHYIDAE (No. 127)
Berycids
Berikiede
Body oblong, oval, compressed. Scales ctenoid; lateralline scales not enlarged; cheeks and operculum scaly.
Preopercle serrate, but no single large spine; opercle with
low ridge or keel ending in a spine; 2 supramaxillae. Dorsal
fin with 4-7 closely set spines and 12-20 branched soft-rays.
Anal fin with 4 spines and 12 to 30 branched soft-rays; pelvic
fins with 1 spine and 7 or 10-12 branched rays. Villiform
teeth in bands on jaws, vomer and palatines. Branchiostegal rays 8. Vertebrae 10+(14-15); predorsal bones 3.
Berycids are found worldwide (but not in eastern Pacific
Ocean) in depths of 200 - 600 m; they are of commercial
importance in some areas. Two genera with 7 species.
KEY TO GENERA
la D base longer than A base; A soft-rays 12-16;
V 1,7 ................................................................ Centroberyx
Ib D base shorter than A base; A soft-rays 25-30;
V 1,10-12 ................................................................... Beryx
Genus Beryx Cuvier, 1829
Dorsal-fin spines 4; V fins 1,10-12. Inner surface of each
scale with a small, deciduous, cartilaginous disc at rear
edge. Retrorse spine on preorbitals in front of eye, reduced
or absent in large adults. Peritoneum black. Vertebrae 24.
Two species, both in our area. The genus Actinoberyx
Roule (type-species A. jugeati Roule, 1923) is a synonym.
KEY TO SPECIES
la Body depth 44-50% SL; D IV,I6-20; LL 56-61
(not counting scales on C) ................................. B. decadactylus
Ib Body depth 36-42% SL; D IV,13-15; LL 65-70 ........... B. splendens
Seryx
126.1 Beryx decadacty/us
Cuvier, 1829
PLATE 18
Seryx
Beryx decadactylus Cuvier, in Cuv. & Val., 1829: 222 (Lisbon?); Krefft,
1961*; Penrith, 1967: 528; Abe & Maruyama, 1971*; Woods & Sonoda,
1973: 282*; Krefft, 1976: 73; Busakhin, 1982: 4*. Actinoberyx jugeati
Roule, 1923: 1027; 1924: 68*. Beryx longipinnis Barnard, 1925: 504 (Saldanha Bay & Natal); 1927: 363*. Actinoberyx longipinnis: Smith, SFSA
No. 287*.
D IV,16-20; A IV,25-29; P 15-17; V 1,10; LL56-61; GR (6-7)+(17-19).
Body depth 2.0-2.3, head length 2.8-3.0 in SL. Eye 2.3-2.9 in head. Preorbital spine with a smaller accessory spine on its anterior margin; 2 short
spines on front of snout between preorbital spines, another 2 on interorbital area and at rear end of lower jaw. Spines on head become reduced
with growth. Some specimens with 1st to 3rd D ray elongate and/or V
greatly produced.
409