Adults blackish brown; juveniles silvery, with black
blotch at front of D. Attains 200 cm. Indo-West Pacific,
south to Algoa Bay and north to Japan.
Family No. 248: TRICHIURIDAE
by I. Nakamura
Frostfishes
Kalkvisse
Body extremely elongate and compressed, ribbon-like.
Mouth large, not protractile; strong canine teeth in jaws,
those at front of upper jaw fang-like; minute teeth on
palatines, none on vomer. Single nostril on each side of
head. Small spinescent gill-rakers present. Dorsal fin low
and long, beginning shortly behind eye, anterior part with
spines and posterior part with soft-rays, spinous part
shorter than soft part. Pelvic fins reduced to a scale-like
spine (with a rudimentary ray in Benthodesmus) or completely absent (Trichiurus). Anal fin low, or reduced to embedded short spinules. Caudal fin small and forked or
absent (tapering to a point). Lateral line single. Scales absent. Body generally metallic silvery (black in Aphanopus) ,
darker dorsally; pectoral fins semi-transparent; dorsal and
anal fins sometimes tinged with pale yellow. Usually no distinct marks or blotches on body.
Voracious predators distributed in tropical and temperate seas of all oceans. Generally inhabit deeper waters of
continental shelf and slope. Trichiurus and Lepidopus are
objects of local fisheries. Flesh tasty, but scanty in
Trichiurus.
KEY TO GENERA
la C present, small and forked.... ......... ............................. .. ..... 2
Ib C absent, body tapering to a point ........................................ 4
2a Head profile smooth; a notch between spinous and
soft parts of D .................................................................. 3
2b Head profile with a prominent crest; no
notch between spinous and soft parts of D .................. Lepidopus
3a Spinous Dbase subequal to soft D base; 2nd
post anal spine much larger than 1st .......................... Aphanopus
3b Spinous D base about Yz length of soft Dbase;
2nd postanal spine short .................................... Benthodesmus
4a Scale-like V present; P not reaching LL; head
profile convex ..................................................... Tentoriceps
4b V absent; Preaching LL; head profile not convex......... Trichiurus
Genus Aphanopus Lowe, 1839
Head and body blackish. First postanal spine minute,
usually buried beneath skin in adults. Parin (1983) recognises 5 species, of which 2 are known from our area.
248: TRICHIURIDAE (FROSTFISHES)
KEY TO SPECIES
la Total D spines + soft-rays 93-96;
A II + 43-46 ............................................. A. microphthalmus
Ib Total D spines + soft-rays 104-109;
A II + 51-54 ..................................................... A. mikhailini
248.1 Aphanopus microphthalmus
Norman, 1939
Aphanopus microphthalmus Norman, 1939: 71, Fig. 25 (Gulf of Aden);
Parin, 1983: 1-12.
D XU-XLIII/52-54 (total 93-96); A II + 43-46; P 12; vertebrae
(44-47)+(54-56) = 99-102. Body depth 9.5, head 4.3 (60 cm SL).
Attains 100 cm. Known from 5 specimens: holotype + 1
from Equator Seamount, 2 from Aldabra Id., and 1 from
Walvis Ridge. Depth range 850 - 1 022 m.
248.1 Aphanopus microphthalmus: head and anterior part of body of 60 cm
holotype (after Norman, 1939).
248.2 Aphanopus mikhailini
Parin, 1983
Aphanopus mikhailini Parin, 1983: 2, Fig. 1 (Walters Shoal: 35°52'S,
40015'E).
D XLIII-XLV/61-65 (total 104-109); A II + 51-54; P 12; vertebrae
(48-51)+(63-65) = 111-115. Body depth 11-12, head 5.1 (82 cm SL).
Attains 90 cm. Off Namibia, Walvis Ridge, Walters
Shoal; also southeastern Indian Ocean and off Argentina.
Depth range 1 035 - 1180 m.
. .. ~
d
~
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.
'. v.g l'
]
......... .
- ~ .. ' . ' . . .
~*'"'>
_ ..... .
~
=<::: .,::., ~<
248.2 Aphanopus mikhailini: 82 cm SL holotype; a = head and anterior part of
body; b = part of body above anal opening; c = caudal section of body;
d = dorsal view of head (after Parin, 19!13).
Genus Benthodesmus Goode & Bean, 1882
Eight species and 3 subspecies; 1 in our area.
829
blotch at front of D. Attains 200 cm. Indo-West Pacific,
south to Algoa Bay and north to Japan.
Family No. 248: TRICHIURIDAE
by I. Nakamura
Frostfishes
Kalkvisse
Body extremely elongate and compressed, ribbon-like.
Mouth large, not protractile; strong canine teeth in jaws,
those at front of upper jaw fang-like; minute teeth on
palatines, none on vomer. Single nostril on each side of
head. Small spinescent gill-rakers present. Dorsal fin low
and long, beginning shortly behind eye, anterior part with
spines and posterior part with soft-rays, spinous part
shorter than soft part. Pelvic fins reduced to a scale-like
spine (with a rudimentary ray in Benthodesmus) or completely absent (Trichiurus). Anal fin low, or reduced to embedded short spinules. Caudal fin small and forked or
absent (tapering to a point). Lateral line single. Scales absent. Body generally metallic silvery (black in Aphanopus) ,
darker dorsally; pectoral fins semi-transparent; dorsal and
anal fins sometimes tinged with pale yellow. Usually no distinct marks or blotches on body.
Voracious predators distributed in tropical and temperate seas of all oceans. Generally inhabit deeper waters of
continental shelf and slope. Trichiurus and Lepidopus are
objects of local fisheries. Flesh tasty, but scanty in
Trichiurus.
KEY TO GENERA
la C present, small and forked.... ......... ............................. .. ..... 2
Ib C absent, body tapering to a point ........................................ 4
2a Head profile smooth; a notch between spinous and
soft parts of D .................................................................. 3
2b Head profile with a prominent crest; no
notch between spinous and soft parts of D .................. Lepidopus
3a Spinous Dbase subequal to soft D base; 2nd
post anal spine much larger than 1st .......................... Aphanopus
3b Spinous D base about Yz length of soft Dbase;
2nd postanal spine short .................................... Benthodesmus
4a Scale-like V present; P not reaching LL; head
profile convex ..................................................... Tentoriceps
4b V absent; Preaching LL; head profile not convex......... Trichiurus
Genus Aphanopus Lowe, 1839
Head and body blackish. First postanal spine minute,
usually buried beneath skin in adults. Parin (1983) recognises 5 species, of which 2 are known from our area.
248: TRICHIURIDAE (FROSTFISHES)
KEY TO SPECIES
la Total D spines + soft-rays 93-96;
A II + 43-46 ............................................. A. microphthalmus
Ib Total D spines + soft-rays 104-109;
A II + 51-54 ..................................................... A. mikhailini
248.1 Aphanopus microphthalmus
Norman, 1939
Aphanopus microphthalmus Norman, 1939: 71, Fig. 25 (Gulf of Aden);
Parin, 1983: 1-12.
D XU-XLIII/52-54 (total 93-96); A II + 43-46; P 12; vertebrae
(44-47)+(54-56) = 99-102. Body depth 9.5, head 4.3 (60 cm SL).
Attains 100 cm. Known from 5 specimens: holotype + 1
from Equator Seamount, 2 from Aldabra Id., and 1 from
Walvis Ridge. Depth range 850 - 1 022 m.
248.1 Aphanopus microphthalmus: head and anterior part of body of 60 cm
holotype (after Norman, 1939).
248.2 Aphanopus mikhailini
Parin, 1983
Aphanopus mikhailini Parin, 1983: 2, Fig. 1 (Walters Shoal: 35°52'S,
40015'E).
D XLIII-XLV/61-65 (total 104-109); A II + 51-54; P 12; vertebrae
(48-51)+(63-65) = 111-115. Body depth 11-12, head 5.1 (82 cm SL).
Attains 90 cm. Off Namibia, Walvis Ridge, Walters
Shoal; also southeastern Indian Ocean and off Argentina.
Depth range 1 035 - 1180 m.
. .. ~
d
~
.~_ ~' ~~ . , . ~ .LL.L1LL/iIl{£l ..... ·
.
'. v.g l'
]
......... .
- ~ .. ' . ' . . .
~*'"'>
_ ..... .
~
=<::: .,::., ~<
248.2 Aphanopus mikhailini: 82 cm SL holotype; a = head and anterior part of
body; b = part of body above anal opening; c = caudal section of body;
d = dorsal view of head (after Parin, 19!13).
Genus Benthodesmus Goode & Bean, 1882
Eight species and 3 subspecies; 1 in our area.
829