Halieutichthys aculeatus

Taxonavigation

Taxonavigation: Ogcocephalioidea
Superregnum: Eukaryota Cladus: Unikonta Cladus: Opisthokonta Cladus: Holozoa Regnum: Animalia Subregnum: Eumetazoa Cladus: Bilateria Cladus: Nephrozoa Superphylum: Deuterostomia Phylum: Chordata Subphylum: Vertebrata Infraphylum: Gnathostomata Megaclassis: Osteichthyes Superclassis/Classis: Actinopterygii Classis/Subclassis: Actinopteri Subclassis/Infraclassis: Neopterygii Infraclassis: Teleostei Megacohors: Osteoglossocephalai Supercohors: Clupeocephala Cohors: Euteleosteomorpha Subcohors: Neoteleostei Infracohors: Eurypterygia Sectio: Ctenosquamata Subsectio: Acanthomorphata Divisio/Superordo: Acanthopterygii Subdivisio: Percomorphaceae Series: Eupercaria Ordo: Lophiiformes Subordo: Ogcocephalioidei Superfamilia: Ogcocephalioidea

Familia: Ogcocephalidae
Genus: Halieutichthys
Species: Halieutichthys aculeatus

Name

Halieutichthys aculeatus (Mitchill, 1818)

Neotype. AMNH 76821.

Type locality: 32°28'N, 78°47'09"W, about 92.4 kilometers at 107° off Off Charleston Light, South Carolina, USA [Original: Straits of Bahamas, Atlantic, depth 40 fathoms].

Diagnosis. A member of the H. aculeatus complex distinguished by possession of two narrow black bands across pectoral fin; outer sphenotic tubercle well developed and inner sphenotic tubercle strongly reduced; tubercles relatively small but sharp; tubercles almost always absent dorsal to orbit; relatively fine reticulate pigmentation pattern on dorsal surface (i.e. densely arranged network of melanophores). A relatively small species with adult body size usually attaining <70 mm SL.

Distribution. Widespread along Atlantic coast of southern U.S.A. (18·0◦–36·5◦ N) and throughout Gulf of Mexico. Specimens collected from shoreline to depth of 422 m; however, most specimens collected from 50 to 150 m.

Synonyms

Lophius aculeatus Mitchill, 1818
Halieutichthys reticulatus Poey in Gill, 1863
Halieutella lappa Goode & Bean, 1885
Halieutichthys caribbaeus Garman, 1896
Halieutichthys smithii Evermann & Marsh, 1900

Taxonomy note

The species name, Lophius aculeatus Mitchill, 1818, is preoccupied by Lophius aculeatus Walbaum, 1792. The senior homonym (aculeatus Walbaum, 1792) has not been used since its erection in 1792 and the junior homonym (aculeatus Mitchill, 1818) has been used as a valid name in at least 25 works, published by at least 10 authors in the preceding 50 years, and encompassing a span of not <10 years. These conditions allow for ‘reversal of precedence’ as provided by Article 23.9.1 of the Code (ICZN, 1999).

Primary references

Ho, H.-C., P. Chakrabarty and J. S. Sparks. 2010. Review of the Halieutichthys aculeatus species complex (Lophiiformes: Ogcocephalidae), with descriptions of two new species. Journal of Fish Biology v. 77 (no. 4): 841-869.

References

Mitchill, S. L. (1818) Memoir on ichthyology. The fishes of New York, described and arranged. In a supplement to the Memoir... (continued). American Monthly Magazine and Critical Revue No. 6: 321–328.
Bradbury, Margaret G. (2003) Family Ogcocephalidae Jordan 1895: batfishes. Annotated Checklists of Fishes, no. 17. 1-17. PDF

Links

Halieutichthys aculeatus – Taxon details on Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS).

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