133a: STEPHANOBERYCIDAE (PRICKLE FISHES)
D 11; A 1,9-10; P 12-13; V 5; GR 8+(17-20). Body depth 3.6-3.7, head
length about 3 in SL; C peduncle depth 9-11, length 24-25% SL.
Attains 15 cm. Known off the mid-Atlantic United States
(depth 2 176 and 5 308 m) , off the Azores, and off Durban
(RN Galathea Stn. 190; 29°42'S, 33°19'E; depth 2 700 m) .
133a.1 Acanthochaenus lutkenii: 15 em lectotype (after Goode & Bean, 1885).
Family No. 134: POL YMIXIIDAE
by p .e . Heemstra
Beardfishes
Baardvisse
Body oblong, moderately compressed. Two long barbels
from middle of lower jaw (hyoid arch). Dorsal fin with 4-6
graduated spines and 26-38 soft-rays; anal fin with 3 or 4
spines and 13-18 soft-rays; ventral fins with 7 rays (1st
unbranched) and no spine; caudal fin branched rays 16.
Branchiostegal rays 4 (plus 3 curved round base of barbels);
vertebrae 28 or 29. Villiform teeth on jaws, vomer,
palatines, endopterygoids and tongue; 2 supramaxillae.
Scales ctenoid, extending onto cheeks, opercles and lower
jaw. Gasbladder, orbitosphenoid bone and subocular shelf
present; peritoneum black.
One genus, Polymixia Lowe , 1836, with 6 species; 2
species in our area, but another 2 may be found here and are
included in the Key.
KEY TO SPECIES
la D V,35-37 (last ray double) .. ...... ........ ........ .... ........ ... P. nobilis
Ib D IV-V,28-35 (last ray double) .. .... .. ...... .. ...... .... .. .. .... .. ........ . 2
2a Distinct black blotch on distal part of anterior
Drays; 8 or 9 scales from D origin to
LL .............. .... ........ .. .................. . P. japonicus Giinther, 1877
(Reported from India)
2b D rays dusky , but no distinct black blotch ;
5-8 scales from D origin to LL ...... ...... .. .. .. .. .. ...... .... .... .. .... .. .. 3
3a D IV-V,28-31; total GR (not counting rudiments)
12-14; scales from D origin to LL 5-6; A IV,14-16 .... ...... P. berndti
3b D V,33; total GR 16-17; scales from D origin to
LL 7-8; A IV,13 ............ .. .......... .. ......... P. fusca Kotthaus, 1970
(NW Indian Ocean)
432
134.1 Polymixia berndti
Gilbert, 1905
Pacific beardfish
Pasifiese baaravis
Polymixia berndti Gilbert, 1905: 616, PI. 78 (Hawaii); Smith, 1966: 85*.
Polymixia nobilis (non Lowe): Smith, SFSA No. 283* (Figure only).
D IV-V,28-31; A IV,14-16; P 15-17; GR (4-5)+(8-9); LL30-33 + 2 or 3
on C. Depth 2.7-3.0, head 2.8-3 .1 in SL. Eye 3.4-3.6 in head.
Head and body dusky greenish dorsally, silvery below; C
dusky. Attains 16 cm. Known from off Natal, Kenya,
Philippines, Japan and Hawaii ; depth: 300 - 500 m.
134.1 Polymixia berndti: 15 em (off Durban) .
134.2 Polymixia nobilis
Lowe, 1836
Atlantic beardfish
Atlantiese baardvis
Polymixia nobilis Lowe, 1836: 198, PI. 4 (Madeira) ; Smith, 1968: 8*;
Woods & Sonoda, 1973: 270' .
D V,35-37 ; A IV,15-16; P 15-16; GR (3-4)+(7-9); LL 31-34 + 2 or 3 on
C; 7 or 8 scales from D origin to LL. Depth 2.5-2.8, head 2.7-2.9 in SL.
Head and body dark brownish grey, silvery below; black
blotch on distal part of anterior D rays. Attains 40 cm. An
Atlantic species known in our area from 1 specimen taken
off Bazaruto, southern Mozambique in 500 - 600 m.
134.2 Polymixia nobi/is: 23 em (S. Mozambique).
D 11; A 1,9-10; P 12-13; V 5; GR 8+(17-20). Body depth 3.6-3.7, head
length about 3 in SL; C peduncle depth 9-11, length 24-25% SL.
Attains 15 cm. Known off the mid-Atlantic United States
(depth 2 176 and 5 308 m) , off the Azores, and off Durban
(RN Galathea Stn. 190; 29°42'S, 33°19'E; depth 2 700 m) .
133a.1 Acanthochaenus lutkenii: 15 em lectotype (after Goode & Bean, 1885).
Family No. 134: POL YMIXIIDAE
by p .e . Heemstra
Beardfishes
Baardvisse
Body oblong, moderately compressed. Two long barbels
from middle of lower jaw (hyoid arch). Dorsal fin with 4-6
graduated spines and 26-38 soft-rays; anal fin with 3 or 4
spines and 13-18 soft-rays; ventral fins with 7 rays (1st
unbranched) and no spine; caudal fin branched rays 16.
Branchiostegal rays 4 (plus 3 curved round base of barbels);
vertebrae 28 or 29. Villiform teeth on jaws, vomer,
palatines, endopterygoids and tongue; 2 supramaxillae.
Scales ctenoid, extending onto cheeks, opercles and lower
jaw. Gasbladder, orbitosphenoid bone and subocular shelf
present; peritoneum black.
One genus, Polymixia Lowe , 1836, with 6 species; 2
species in our area, but another 2 may be found here and are
included in the Key.
KEY TO SPECIES
la D V,35-37 (last ray double) .. ...... ........ ........ .... ........ ... P. nobilis
Ib D IV-V,28-35 (last ray double) .. .... .. ...... .. ...... .... .. .. .... .. ........ . 2
2a Distinct black blotch on distal part of anterior
Drays; 8 or 9 scales from D origin to
LL .............. .... ........ .. .................. . P. japonicus Giinther, 1877
(Reported from India)
2b D rays dusky , but no distinct black blotch ;
5-8 scales from D origin to LL ...... ...... .. .. .. .. .. ...... .... .... .. .... .. .. 3
3a D IV-V,28-31; total GR (not counting rudiments)
12-14; scales from D origin to LL 5-6; A IV,14-16 .... ...... P. berndti
3b D V,33; total GR 16-17; scales from D origin to
LL 7-8; A IV,13 ............ .. .......... .. ......... P. fusca Kotthaus, 1970
(NW Indian Ocean)
432
134.1 Polymixia berndti
Gilbert, 1905
Pacific beardfish
Pasifiese baaravis
Polymixia berndti Gilbert, 1905: 616, PI. 78 (Hawaii); Smith, 1966: 85*.
Polymixia nobilis (non Lowe): Smith, SFSA No. 283* (Figure only).
D IV-V,28-31; A IV,14-16; P 15-17; GR (4-5)+(8-9); LL30-33 + 2 or 3
on C. Depth 2.7-3.0, head 2.8-3 .1 in SL. Eye 3.4-3.6 in head.
Head and body dusky greenish dorsally, silvery below; C
dusky. Attains 16 cm. Known from off Natal, Kenya,
Philippines, Japan and Hawaii ; depth: 300 - 500 m.
134.1 Polymixia berndti: 15 em (off Durban) .
134.2 Polymixia nobilis
Lowe, 1836
Atlantic beardfish
Atlantiese baardvis
Polymixia nobilis Lowe, 1836: 198, PI. 4 (Madeira) ; Smith, 1968: 8*;
Woods & Sonoda, 1973: 270' .
D V,35-37 ; A IV,15-16; P 15-16; GR (3-4)+(7-9); LL 31-34 + 2 or 3 on
C; 7 or 8 scales from D origin to LL. Depth 2.5-2.8, head 2.7-2.9 in SL.
Head and body dark brownish grey, silvery below; black
blotch on distal part of anterior D rays. Attains 40 cm. An
Atlantic species known in our area from 1 specimen taken
off Bazaruto, southern Mozambique in 500 - 600 m.
134.2 Polymixia nobi/is: 23 em (S. Mozambique).