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Viviparous brotula

Family of fishes From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Viviparous brotula
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The viviparous brotulas form a family, the Bythitidae, of ophidiiform fishes. They are known as viviparous brotulas as they generally bear live young,[1] although there are indications that some species (at least Didymothallus criniceps) do not.[2] They are generally infrequently seen, somewhat tadpole-like in overall shape and mostly about 5–10 cm (2–4 in) in length,[1] but some species grow far larger and may surpass 60 cm (2 ft).[3][4]

Quick Facts Scientific classification, Subfamilies ...

Although many live near the coast in tropical or subtropical oceans,[1] there are also species in deep water and cold oceans, for example Bythites.[5] Thermichthys hollisi, which lives at depths of around 2,500 m (8,200 ft), is associated with thermal vents.[6] A few are fresh or brackish water cavefish: the Mexican blind brotula (Typhliasina pearsei), Galapagos cuskeel (Ogilbia galapagosensis), Diancistrus typhlops and some Lucifuga species.[2][7]

Since 2002, more than 110 new species have been added to this family.[8] In 2005, 26 new species were described in a single paper by Danish and German scientists[9] and in 2007, an additional eight new genera with 20 new species were described in another paper by the same scientists.[10]

In some classifications the family Aphyonidae is placed within the Bythitidae and the tribe Dinematichthyini of the subfamily Brosmophycinae has been raised to the status of a family, the Dinematichthyidae which contains 25 genera and 114 species.[11]

The Bythitidae is divided as follows:

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References

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