Order CETOMIMIFORMES
Whalefishes
by J.R. Paxton & D.J. Bray
Walvisvisse
Enormous mouth; moderate to tiny eye; whale-shaped
body; dorsal and anal fins far posterior and opposite one
another; lateral line a large pored tube or a series of vertical
papillae; no fin spines; pelvic fins, scales and cavernous
(luminous?) tissue present or absent; colour orange, red,
brown or black.
Relationships of the whalefishes are problematical.
Nelson (1984) has succinctly summarised previous placements of the families. The editors of the present volume
have chosen to recognise a separate order, whereas the
authors would place at least the families Barbourisiidae and
Rondeletiidae with the stephanoberycoid families.
KEY TO FAMILIES
la Pelvic fins absent; abdominal ribs absent ; belly
highly distensible ........ ..... ...... .. .... .. CETOMIMIDAE (No. 135)
Family No. 135: CETOMIMIDAE
by J.R. Paxton & D .J. Bray
Whalefishes
Walvis-visse
Small dark brown or black pelagic fishes. Skin naked
(although large scales usually embedded in lateral-line
canal). Lateralis system cavernous at least on head, usually
on body as broad tube pierced by large pores. Head large;
mouth huge and terminal, jaws extending far behind tiny
eye. No abdominal ribs, fin spines or pelvic fins. Dorsal and
anal fin opposite and posterior, with 13-35 rays; pectoral
fins with 15-22 rays. Vertebrae 39-58. Belly highly distensible .
Four described and at least 3 undescribed genera, 1 in our
area.
Genus Cetomimus Goode & Bean, 1896
Nine described species and at least 5 undescribed species;
2 species known from our area. Generic synopsis by Maul
(1969).
lb Pelvic fins present; abdominal ribs present; belly
moderately or not distensible ..... .... .. ...... ..... ... ..... .... ........ ... .. 2
2a Scales present; lateral line a tube pierced by small
pores; live colour orange-red , preserved colour
white ...................................... BARBOURISIIDAE (No. 137)
~ ........
~
.. : .... . ...... .
137
2b Scales absent; lateral line a series of vertical rows
of papillae; live colour orange-brown, preserved
colour brown ..................... .. ..... RONDELETIIDAE (No. 136)
-' @ \\ \
~2?------.::...-~ 136
KEY TO SPECIES
la Gills 3, with small slit behind 3rd arch; 21 LL
pores and organs behind gill opening .......... ...... ..... ...... C. picklei
lb Gills 4, with well-developed slit behind 4th arch;
14 LL pores and organs behind gill opening .......... .... . C. indagalor
135.1 Cetomimus indagator
Rofen, 1959
Celomimus (Psapharocelus) indagalor Rofen, 1959: 255, PI.1, Fig. 1
(off Port St. Johns, Transkei); Maul , 1969: 8; Smith, 1961: 566, No, 209a,
D 14; A 13; vertebrae 42. GR absent, replaced by small knobs covered
135.1 Cetomimus indagator: 15 em holotype (after Roten, 1959).
433
Whalefishes
by J.R. Paxton & D.J. Bray
Walvisvisse
Enormous mouth; moderate to tiny eye; whale-shaped
body; dorsal and anal fins far posterior and opposite one
another; lateral line a large pored tube or a series of vertical
papillae; no fin spines; pelvic fins, scales and cavernous
(luminous?) tissue present or absent; colour orange, red,
brown or black.
Relationships of the whalefishes are problematical.
Nelson (1984) has succinctly summarised previous placements of the families. The editors of the present volume
have chosen to recognise a separate order, whereas the
authors would place at least the families Barbourisiidae and
Rondeletiidae with the stephanoberycoid families.
KEY TO FAMILIES
la Pelvic fins absent; abdominal ribs absent ; belly
highly distensible ........ ..... ...... .. .... .. CETOMIMIDAE (No. 135)
Family No. 135: CETOMIMIDAE
by J.R. Paxton & D .J. Bray
Whalefishes
Walvis-visse
Small dark brown or black pelagic fishes. Skin naked
(although large scales usually embedded in lateral-line
canal). Lateralis system cavernous at least on head, usually
on body as broad tube pierced by large pores. Head large;
mouth huge and terminal, jaws extending far behind tiny
eye. No abdominal ribs, fin spines or pelvic fins. Dorsal and
anal fin opposite and posterior, with 13-35 rays; pectoral
fins with 15-22 rays. Vertebrae 39-58. Belly highly distensible .
Four described and at least 3 undescribed genera, 1 in our
area.
Genus Cetomimus Goode & Bean, 1896
Nine described species and at least 5 undescribed species;
2 species known from our area. Generic synopsis by Maul
(1969).
lb Pelvic fins present; abdominal ribs present; belly
moderately or not distensible ..... .... .. ...... ..... ... ..... .... ........ ... .. 2
2a Scales present; lateral line a tube pierced by small
pores; live colour orange-red , preserved colour
white ...................................... BARBOURISIIDAE (No. 137)
~ ........
~
.. : .... . ...... .
137
2b Scales absent; lateral line a series of vertical rows
of papillae; live colour orange-brown, preserved
colour brown ..................... .. ..... RONDELETIIDAE (No. 136)
-' @ \\ \
~2?------.::...-~ 136
KEY TO SPECIES
la Gills 3, with small slit behind 3rd arch; 21 LL
pores and organs behind gill opening .......... ...... ..... ...... C. picklei
lb Gills 4, with well-developed slit behind 4th arch;
14 LL pores and organs behind gill opening .......... .... . C. indagalor
135.1 Cetomimus indagator
Rofen, 1959
Celomimus (Psapharocelus) indagalor Rofen, 1959: 255, PI.1, Fig. 1
(off Port St. Johns, Transkei); Maul , 1969: 8; Smith, 1961: 566, No, 209a,
D 14; A 13; vertebrae 42. GR absent, replaced by small knobs covered
135.1 Cetomimus indagator: 15 em holotype (after Roten, 1959).
433