Order

Lophiiformes

  Class

Teleostei

No. in FishBase

Genera : 16 | Species : 71 Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes

  Environment

Fresh : No | Brackish : No | Marine : Yes

  Division

Marine

  Aquarium

none

  First Fossil Record

     

  Remark

From Nelson (1994). Distribution: Atlantic, Indian and Pacific. (Ref. 7463) Distinguishing character: The single known feature that serves to define this family is that metamorphosed females all possess an antedorsally directed, narrow, spatulate, process that extends over the posterolateral surface of the respective sphenotic. Although not found in all genera, each frontal possess a distinct bifurcated ventromedial extension (lacking in Lophodolos); a pair of antedorsal extensions can also be found on the parasphenoid, approaching or overlapping the posterior ventromedial extensions of the respective frontal (lacking in Lophodolos); usually well developed sphenotic, quadrate, and articular spines (lacking in Chaenophryne; the skin is commonly smooth and naked; although the skin of members of the genus Spiniphryne are completely covered with well-developed dermal spines. Metamorphosed males have well developed eyes that are laterally directed; the pupil being bigger in diameter than the lens. Possess large olfactory organs with the anterior nostrils closely spaced and their openings anteriorly directed; the laterally directed posterior nostrils are generally larger than the eyes. Pigmentation is common around the nasal area which is also sometimes slightly inflated. The anterior end of the illicial pterygiophore and the posterior end of the upper denticular are well separated. With smooth and naked skin as well. There are no known males of the spiny-skinned oneirodid genus Spiniphryne. With the exception of Bertella idiomorpha and Leptacanthichthys gracilispinis (both exhibiting facultative sexual parasitism), males are free-living and nonparasitic. No definitive features to generally diagnose larvae from this family. There is a wide variation in fin-ray counts, the range narrows within genera and all species, and is consistent in all members of the same species: dorsal-fin rays 5 - 8 (very rarely 4); anal-fin rays 4 - 7 (very rarely 3); pectoral-fin rays 13 - 30; caudal-fin rays 9 (2 simple + 4 bifurcated + 3 simple). The largest recorded female is an unidentified specimen of Oneirodes measuring 37 cm. The largest recorded male measure 1.65 cm. (Ref. 86949)

  Etymology

Greek, 'oneiros' = a dream or dreamlike or out of a dream (suggesting this fish is so strange and marvelous that can exist only in dreams) (Ref. 86949)

  Reproductive guild

nonguarders

  Typical activity level

  Main Ref.

Nelson, J.S. 1994

  Coordinator

  Deep Fin Classification

Osteichthyes | Actinopterygii | Actinopteri | Neopterygii | Teleostei | Osteoglossocephalai | Clupeocephala | Euteleosteomorpha | Neoteleostei | Eurypterygia | Ctenosquamata | Acanthomorphata | Acanthopterygii | Percomorphaceae | Eupercaria | | | Lophiiformes | Ceratioidei | | Oneirodidae