Attains 100 mm SL. Trawled below 300 m off South
Africa and New Zealand ; also, Ebeling (1962) identified
North Atlantic specimens as possible variants of this
species. Rare.
133.4 Melamphaes microps: 10 em SL (after Ebeling, 1962).
133.5 Melamphaes simus
Ebeling, 1962
Melamphaes simus Ebeling, 1962: 94, Fig. 34 (North Atlantic , south of
Canary Ids.).
D III ,15-17; A 1,9-10; LS 32-36; DS 10-11 ; GR (3-4)+(12-15); vertebrae 28-30. Upper jaw 5.5-6.5 in SL; eye 1.2-1.6 in suborbital width; A
origin under 2nd to 4th from last Dray. Scales with concentric circuli
delimiting grooves of equal width on all fields .
Attains 29 mm SL. Trawled below 150 m throughout
tropical/subtropical regions of Atlantic, Indian and Pacific
oceans.
133.5 Melamphaes simus: 3 em SL (after Ebeling, 1962).
Genus Poromitra Goode & Bean, 1882
Five species; 2, possibly 3, in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a Eye diameter 15-20 in head length ; D III ,9-10 .. ..... .. .. .. P. oscitans
1b Eye diameter less than 10 in head ; D II-III,lO-14 ...... ............ ... . 2
2a Eye diameter less than 5 in head ; C peduncle
length more than 3 times its depth ............. ...... ........ P. megalops
2b Eye diameter more than 6 in head; C
peduncle length less than 3 times its depth ...... ... .... ... P. crassiceps
133: MELAMPHAIDAE (BIGSCALE FISHES)
133.6 Poromitra crassiceps
(Gunther, 1878)
Scopelus crassiceps Giinther, 1878: 185 (Atlantic Ocean). Melamphaes
crassiceps: Giinther , 1887: 28*. Plectromus coronatus Gilchrist & von
Bonde, 1924: 14 (off South Africa). Melamphaes unicornis (non Gilbert):
Smith, SFSA No. 281. Poromitra crassiceps: Ebeling, 1962; Ebeling &
Weed, 1973: 440* ; Parin & Ebeling, 1980: 88.
D III ,12-14; A 1,8-11 ; GR (9-12)+(19-24); spines on horizontal edge of
preopercle to angle 9-18, with longest spine at angle much shorter than
length of A base; vertebrae 27-29, without spine on hemal arch of 1st
caudal vertebra. Head 2.4-2.8, upper jaw 5.5-6.5 in SL.
Attains 155 mm SL. Trawled below 600 m throughout
entire range of family ; significant morphological variation
between populations (Parin & Ebeling, 1980).
133.6 Poromitra crassiceps: 11 .5 em SL (after Ebeling & Weed, 1973).
133.7 Poromitra mega lops
(Lutken, 1877)
Melamphaes megalops Liitken, 1877: 176, PI. 5 (S. of Azores); Smith,
SFSA No. 282*. Poromitra megalops: Goode & Bean , 1895: 181 ; Ebeling
& Weed, 1973: 433' . Pleetromus macrophthalmus Gilchrist, 1922: 205, PI.
13 (off Cape of Good Hope).
D II-III ,lO-12 ; A 1,8-10; GR (6-8)+(15-20) ; spines on horizontal edge
of preopercle 4-8, with longest spine at angle much shorter than length of
A base; vertebrae 26-30, without spine on hemal arch of 1st caudal vertebra. Head 2.7-3.3; upper jaw 5.6-7.0 in SL.
Attains 62 mm SL. Trawled below 400 m in eastern
Atlantic, Indo-Pacific and eastern equatorial Pacific. Significant morphological variation between Indo-Pacific and
133.7 Poromitra megalops: 6 em SL (after Ebeling & Weed, 1973).
429
Africa and New Zealand ; also, Ebeling (1962) identified
North Atlantic specimens as possible variants of this
species. Rare.
133.4 Melamphaes microps: 10 em SL (after Ebeling, 1962).
133.5 Melamphaes simus
Ebeling, 1962
Melamphaes simus Ebeling, 1962: 94, Fig. 34 (North Atlantic , south of
Canary Ids.).
D III ,15-17; A 1,9-10; LS 32-36; DS 10-11 ; GR (3-4)+(12-15); vertebrae 28-30. Upper jaw 5.5-6.5 in SL; eye 1.2-1.6 in suborbital width; A
origin under 2nd to 4th from last Dray. Scales with concentric circuli
delimiting grooves of equal width on all fields .
Attains 29 mm SL. Trawled below 150 m throughout
tropical/subtropical regions of Atlantic, Indian and Pacific
oceans.
133.5 Melamphaes simus: 3 em SL (after Ebeling, 1962).
Genus Poromitra Goode & Bean, 1882
Five species; 2, possibly 3, in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a Eye diameter 15-20 in head length ; D III ,9-10 .. ..... .. .. .. P. oscitans
1b Eye diameter less than 10 in head ; D II-III,lO-14 ...... ............ ... . 2
2a Eye diameter less than 5 in head ; C peduncle
length more than 3 times its depth ............. ...... ........ P. megalops
2b Eye diameter more than 6 in head; C
peduncle length less than 3 times its depth ...... ... .... ... P. crassiceps
133: MELAMPHAIDAE (BIGSCALE FISHES)
133.6 Poromitra crassiceps
(Gunther, 1878)
Scopelus crassiceps Giinther, 1878: 185 (Atlantic Ocean). Melamphaes
crassiceps: Giinther , 1887: 28*. Plectromus coronatus Gilchrist & von
Bonde, 1924: 14 (off South Africa). Melamphaes unicornis (non Gilbert):
Smith, SFSA No. 281. Poromitra crassiceps: Ebeling, 1962; Ebeling &
Weed, 1973: 440* ; Parin & Ebeling, 1980: 88.
D III ,12-14; A 1,8-11 ; GR (9-12)+(19-24); spines on horizontal edge of
preopercle to angle 9-18, with longest spine at angle much shorter than
length of A base; vertebrae 27-29, without spine on hemal arch of 1st
caudal vertebra. Head 2.4-2.8, upper jaw 5.5-6.5 in SL.
Attains 155 mm SL. Trawled below 600 m throughout
entire range of family ; significant morphological variation
between populations (Parin & Ebeling, 1980).
133.6 Poromitra crassiceps: 11 .5 em SL (after Ebeling & Weed, 1973).
133.7 Poromitra mega lops
(Lutken, 1877)
Melamphaes megalops Liitken, 1877: 176, PI. 5 (S. of Azores); Smith,
SFSA No. 282*. Poromitra megalops: Goode & Bean , 1895: 181 ; Ebeling
& Weed, 1973: 433' . Pleetromus macrophthalmus Gilchrist, 1922: 205, PI.
13 (off Cape of Good Hope).
D II-III ,lO-12 ; A 1,8-10; GR (6-8)+(15-20) ; spines on horizontal edge
of preopercle 4-8, with longest spine at angle much shorter than length of
A base; vertebrae 26-30, without spine on hemal arch of 1st caudal vertebra. Head 2.7-3.3; upper jaw 5.6-7.0 in SL.
Attains 62 mm SL. Trawled below 400 m in eastern
Atlantic, Indo-Pacific and eastern equatorial Pacific. Significant morphological variation between Indo-Pacific and
133.7 Poromitra megalops: 6 em SL (after Ebeling & Weed, 1973).
429