Author: Richardson, 1844

Astronesthes niger Richardson, 1844

Diagnosis: serial photophores in lateral row (OA) 30-37, of which 17-23 behind pelvic fin insertion (VAL); 50 56 photophores in ventral row to tail (IC); ventral row forming a pronounced U-shaped bend between pectoral fin bases. Barbel up to 1.7 times head length, but usually much shorter than or about equal to head, distal third to half swollen. Dorsal finrays 14-17, usually 15-16. Colour: head and body black; larger specimens with pale patches on head anterior to eye, on upper jaw, above nostrils, above eye, and on body well above pectoral fin and above (sometimes also below) lateral photophore row between pelvic and anal fins. Size: to about 160 mm.

Habitat, etc.: see family. The most common species taken in surface nets at night.

Distribution: southern Bay of Biscay, but mostly south of 40° N. Elsewhere, throughout the Atlantic to almost 40° S; also Indian and western Pacific Oceans.

Eggs, larvae and young stages. Roule & Angel, 1930: 17 (questionable).
Otoliths (sagitta). Weitzman, 1967b: 15.

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Subphylum Vertebrata
Superclass Gnathostomata
Class Osteichthyes
Order Clupeiformes
Suborder Stomiatoidei
Family Astronesthidae
Genus Astronesthes
Species Astronesthes niger

Status in World Register of Marine Species

Accepted name: Astronesthes niger Richardson, 1845

Scientific synonyms and common names

Astronesthes niger Richardson, 1844

Synonyms:

Astronesthes nigra Richardson, 1844, Zool. Voy. 'Sulphur', Ichthyol., 2: 97 ('Habitat unknown, Presumed to ho S. China Sea'). Quoted from label with holotype: BMNH no. 1970.5.19.1.
Stomias fieldii Valenciennes, 1846, in Cuv. Val., Hist. nat. Poiss., 18: 378 (between Mogador and New York 'a 150 lieues O. des Acores'). Quoted from label with holotype: MNHN no. 4930.
Chauliodus fieldii: Valenciennes, 1849, in Cuv. Val., 22: 389.
Astronesthes niger: Günther, 1864a: 425; 1887: 203 Lütken, 1892b: 273, pl. 3 (fig. 3) Goode & Bean, 1896: 105 Murray & Hjort, 1912a: 703 Regan & Trewavas, 1929a: 20-21, fig. 12 Roule & Angel, 1930: 17 Durand, 1937: 1-7, 2 fig. Bertin, 1939c: 381 Poll, 1953: 73-74, fig. 32 Gibbs, 1964a: 327-329, fig. 77-78.
Astronesthes myriaster Zugmayer, 1913, Bull. Inst. océanogr. Monaco, (253): 4 (31°32'N., 17°22' W.). Holotype: MOM.


Common names:

none

Gibbs, R. H. Jr. 1964a. Family Astronesthidae in Fishes of the Western North Atlantic. Mem. Sears Found. Mar. Res., New Haven, 1(4): 311-350, fig. 77-91.

Lütken, C. F. 1892b. Spolia Atlantica. Scopelini Musei Zoologici Universitatis Hauniensis. K. danske Vidensk. Selsk. Skrift., (6) 7: 221-297, 3 pl., 25 fig.

Richardson, J. 1844. Ichthyology in The Zoology of the voyage of HMS 'Sulphur', under the command of Captain Sir Edward Belcher, during the years 1836-1842; edited by R. B. Hinds, 2: 71-150, 30 pl.

Roule, L.; Angel, F. 1930. Larves et alevins de poissons provenant des croisières du Prince Albert I de Monaco. Résult. Camp. scient. Prince Albert 1, 79: 148 p., 6 pl. (165 fig.).

Weitzman, S. H. 1967b. The osteology and relationship of the Astronesthidae, a family of oceanic fishes. Dana Rep., (71): 1-54, 31 fig.

Cuvier, G.; Valenciennes, A. 1828-1849. Histoire naturelle des Poissons, Paris-Strasbourg, 22 vol., 11030 p., 621 pl. (numb. 1-650).1,1828: xvi+573 p., pl. I-VIII [author: Cuvier]; 2, 1828: xxi+490 p., pl. 9-40 [Cuv.:1-238, 249-262, 387-490; Val. : 238-249, 262-386]; 3 April 1829: xxiii+500p., pl. 41-71 [Cuvier]; 4,1829: xxvi+518 p., pl. 72-99 [Cuvier]; S, 1830: xxviii+499 p., pl. 100-140 [Cuvier]; 6, 1830: xxiv+559 p., pl. 141-169 [Val. :1-425, 493-559; Cuv.: 426-491]; 7, 1831: xxix+531 p., pl. 170-208 [Cuv. :1-440; Val.: 441-531]; 8, 1832: xix+509 p., pl. 209-245 [Cuv. :1-470; Val.: 471-509]; 9, 1833: xxix+ 512 p., pl. 246-279 [Cuv. :1-198, 330-359, 372-427; Val. :199-329, 359-371, 429-512];10,1835: xxiv+482 p., pl. 280-306 [Val.]; 11, 1836: xx+506 p., pl. 307343 [Val.]; 12, 1837: xxix+507 p., pl. 344-368 [Val.]; 13, 1839: xix+505 p., pl. 369-388 [Val.]; 14,1840: xxii+464 p., pl. 389-420 [Val.]; 15,1840: xxi+540 p., pl. 421-455 [Val.]; 16,1842: xx+472 p., pl. 456-487 [Val.]; 17,1844: xxiii+497 p., pl. 487-519 [Val.]; 18,1846: xix+505 p., pl. 520-553 [Val.]; 19,1847: xix+544 p., pl. 554590 [Val.]; 20,1847: xviii+472 p., pl. 591-606 [Val.]; 21,1848: xiv+536 p., pl. 607-633 [Val.]; 22,1849: xx+532 p., pl. 634650 [Val.].

Durand, J. 1937. Note sur Astronesthes niger Richardson, 1845, peche par un chalutier de La Rochelle. Ann. Soc. Sci. nat. Charente-lnferieure, 3 (1): 1-7.

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.

Gunther, A. 1864a. Catalogue of the fishes in the British Museum. 5. Catalogue of the Physostomi containing the families Siluridae, Characinidae, Haplochitonidae, Sternoptychidae, Scopelidae, Stomiatidae in the collection of the British Museum. London, xxii + 455 p.

Gunther, A. 1887. Report on the Deep-sea Fishes collected by H.M.S. Challenger during the years 1873-76. Challenger Reports, Zool., 22: Ixv + 268 p., 7 fig., 66 pl.

Murray, J.; Hjort, J. 1912a. The depths of the ocean. A general account of the modern science of oceanography based largely on the scientific researches of the norwegian steamer Michael Sars in the North Atlantic. London, 1912: xx + 821 p. 575 fig. + unnumbered fig., 4 maps, 9 pl.

Poll, M. 1953. Poissons. III. Téléostéens Malacoptérygiens. Rés. Sci. Expéd. océanogr. belg. Eaux côt. afr. Atlant. Sud (1948-49), 4 (2): 1-258, 104 fig., 8 pl.

Regan, C. T.; Trewavas, E. 1929a. The fishes of the families Astronesthidae and Chauliodontidae. Danish Dana Exped. 1920-1922, (5): 1-143, 24 fig., 7 pl.

Zugmayer, E. 1913. Diagnoses des Stomiatidés nouveaux provenant des campagnes du yacht 'Hirondelle II' (1911 et 1912). Bull. Inst. océanogr., Monaco, (253): 1-7. Roule, L.; Angel, F. 1930. Larves et alevins de poissons provenant des croisières du Prince Albert I de Monaco. Résult. Camp. scient. Prince Albert 1, 79: 148 p., 6 pl. (165 fig.).

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