| Diceratias | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Diceratias bispinosus | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Lophiiformes |
| Family: | Diceratiidae |
| Genus: | Diceratias Günther, 1887 |
| Type species | |
| Diceratias bispinosus | |
Diceratias is agenus of deep sea marineray-finned fish belonging to thefamilyDiceratiidae, the double anglers. These fishes are found in the Eastern Atlantic andIndo-Pacific regions.
Diceratias was first proposed as amonospecific genus in 1887 by the German-born Britishherpetologist andichthyologist Albert Günther when hedescribedDiceratias bispinosus.[1] When he describedD. bispinosus Günther gave thetype locality as offBanda Island at a depth of 360 fathoms (2,160 ft; 660 m) on theChallenger expedition of 1872-1876.[2] This genus is one of two genera in the family Diceratiidae which the 5th edition ofFishes of the World classifies within thesuborderCeratioidei within theorderLophiiformes, the anglerfishes.[3]
Diceratias prefixesdi, meaning "two" onto the genus nameCeratias. This genus was thought to be asubgenus ofCeratias with two cephalic spines instead of one.[4]
Diceratias contains the following species:[5]
Direcatias double anglers aresexually dimorphic. The metamorphosed females can be separated from other females in the suborder Ceratioidei by the possession of a second, club-like exposed cephalic spine bearing abioluminescent organ at its tip. In this genus the spine is on the snout rather than being located at the back of the head as inBufoceratias, the forward tip of the illicium'spterygiophore is exposed while inBufoceratias it is hidden and it has a deep trough it can be retracted into. The spine is shorter than inBufoceratias having a length equivalent to between 27% and 47% of the standard length. They also have a large mouth which reaches back beyond the eye, a well developed spine on thesymphysis of themandible which reaches just past themaxilla, the presence ofvomerine teeth, there are large spines in the skin,[6][7] thedorsal fin has between five and seven rays while theanal fin has four rays and they have a small pelvic bone which is joined to thecleithrum. The second cephalic spine is positioned directly behind the base of the first cephalic spine, orillicium[3] and can be pulled down beneath the skin in individuals with a total length greater than 1.3 cm (0.51 in) leaving a small pore to show its location.[8] The males have spinules in the skin, they have two teeth on the snout and two transverse rows of 4 or 5 teeth on the lower jaw, all separate from each other. The eyes and nostrils of the males are directed laterally.[9] The largest species in the genus isD.pileatus with a maximum publishedstandard length for a metamorphosed female of 23.5 cm (9.3 in).[5]
Diceratias double anglers are found in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Indo-Pacific, they arebathypelagic fishes which are found in tropical and subtropical waters, on or near thecontinental shelf at depths between 533 and 2,306 m (1,749 and 7,566 ft).[10]
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