Bidenichthys

Bidenichthys is a genus of viviparous brotulas.

Bidenichthys
Grey Brotula (B. consobrinus)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Ophidiiformes
Family:	Bythitidae
Tribe:	Brosmophycini
Genus:	Bidenichthys Barnard, 1934
Type species
Bidenichthys capensis Barnard, 1934
Synonyms
Fiordichthys Paulin, 1995

Etymology

The genus is named after C. Leo Biden, who collected one of the type specimens of Bidenichthys capensis and donated many specimens to the South African Museum.^[1]

Species

There are currently five recognized species in this genus:^[2]

• Bidenichthys capensis Barnard, 1934 (Freetail brotula): The type species for the genus; "intertidal in rocky tidepools from East London to the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa. Uncommon."^[3]
• Bidenichthys consobrinus (F. W. Hutton, 1876) (Grey brotula): "Rocky areas at depths of 30 to 178 m off northern New Zealand. Rare."^[3]
  • Synonym: Bidenichthys beeblebroxi Paulin, 1995: "Found in holes beneath rocks and boulders from the surface to 30 m around the North Island and northern part of South Island, New Zealand. Common."^[3]
• Bidenichthys okamotoi Møller, Schwarzhans, Lauridsen & Nielsen, 2021^[4]
• Bidenichthys paxtoni (Nielsen & Cohen, 1986) (Baldhead cusk)
• Bidenichthys slartibartfasti (Paulin, 1995) (Fiordland brotula)