Author: Günther, 1878

Bathypterois longipes Günther, 1878

Diagnosis: dorsal finrays 12-14; anal finrays 9-10; pelvic finrays 8-9, two outermost rays thickened and elongated (30-54% SL); pectoral finrays 11-13 visible externally, two uppermost rays pronounced (90-107% SL) and united; lowermost caudal ray(s) 27-30% SL. Adipose fin present. No subcaudal notch. Lateral line scales 54-58. Underside of lower jaw unscaled. Colour: head and body black; scale pockets outlined in white; fin membranes transparent. Size: 25 cm (max.), typically 15-20 cm.

Habitat: benthic at abyssal depths, 2,600-5,600 m. Behaviour: solitary. Uses tripod to elevate body into water column. Specialized sensory pectoral fins are spread facing anteriorly, probably to detect prey. Food: planktonic crustaceans. Reproduction: synchronously hermaphroditic. A larval Bathypterois described by Okiyama (1973) may pertain to this species.

Distribution: probably circumglobal at tropical and temperate latitudes, but absent where bottom temperatures exceed 4 °C (e.g. the Mediterranean). Several captures in the eastern North Atlantic.

Eggs, larvae and young stages. No data.
Otoliths (sagitta). No data.

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Subphylum Vertebrata
Superclass Gnathostomata
Class Osteichthyes
Order Scopeliformes
Suborder Myctophoidei
Family Chlorophtalmidae
Genus Bathypterois
Species Bathypterois longipes

Status in World Register of Marine Species

Accepted name: Bathypterois longipes Günther, 1878

Scientific synonyms and common names

Bathypterois longipes Günther, 1878

Synonyms:

Bathypterois longipes Günther, 1878, Ann. Mag. nat. Hist., (5) 2: 184 (off Uruguay). Syntypes: BMNH no. 1887.12.7.196-197.
Bathypterois longipes: Günther, 1887: 188, pl. 48 (fig. A) Vaillant, 1888: 134 Koefoed, 1927: 63 Fowler, 1936, 1: 357, fig. 170 Grey, 1956: 133 Nybelin, 1957: 254, pl. 1 (fig. 1) Mead, 1966: 133-136, fig. 39 Geistdoerfer et al., 1971b: 1181.
Bathypterois (Synapteretmus) longipes: Goode & Bean, 1896: 66, fig. 76 (pl. XX).
Bathypterois sp.: Vaillant, 1919: 130 (juv.).


Common names:

abyssal spiderfish [En]
spider fish [En]

Günther, A. 1878. Preliminary notices of Deep-Sea Fishes Collected during the Voyage of H.M.S. Challenger. Ann. Mag. nat. Hist., (5) 2: 17-28, 179-187, 248-251.

Geistdoerfer, P.; Hureau, J. C.; Rannou, M. 1971b. Liste préliminaire des espèces de Poissons de profondeur récoltées au cours de la campagne 'Noratlante' du N.O. Jean Charcot en Atlantique Nord (aout-octobre 1969). Bull. Mus. Hist. nat., Paris, 42 (6): 1177-1185.

Goode, G. B.; Bean, T. H. 1896. Oceanic ichthyology, a treatise on the deep-sea and pelagic fishes of the world, based chiefly upon the collections made by steamers Blake, Albatross and Fish Hawk in the northwestern Atlantic. Smithson. Contrib. Knowl., 30 and Spec. Bull U.S. natn. Mus., 1895 [1896] and Mem. Mus. comp. Zool. Harv., 1 (Text): xxxv+1-553; 2 (Atlas): xxiii+1-26, 123 pl., 417 fig.

Grey, M. 1956. The distribution of fishes found below a depth of 2000 meters. Fieldiana, ZooL, 36 (2): 75-337.

Koefoed, E. 1927. Fishes from the Sea-Bottom. Rep. scient. Results Michael Sars N. Atlant. deep Sea Exped., [tittle page: 1927, 1932], 4 (1): 148 p., 55 fig., 6 pl.

Mead, G. W. Ed. 1966. Order Iniomi. In Fishes of the western North Atlantic. Mem. Sears Found. Mar. Res., 1(5): 1-602, fig. 1-218.

Nybelin, 0. 1957. Deep-Sea bottom-fishes. Rep. Swed. deep Sea Exped., 2, Zool. (20): 247-345, 50 fig., 7 pl.

Vaillant, L. 1888. Poissons in Expéditions scientifiques du 'Travailleur' et du 'Talisman' pendant les années 1880-1883. Masson, Paris, 406 p., 28 pl.

Vaillant, L. 1919. In: L. Roule, Appendice: Liste des espèces déterminées par M. le professeur L. Vaillant. Résult. Camp. scient. Prince Albert I, 52: 129-135.

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