Family Chaunacidae
Taxonomy: Family with 2 genera and 13 recognised species, both genera and 3 described species in Australian waters; several undescribed species are known from Australian waters and the family is in need of revision.
Distribution, ecology and habitat: Worldwide tropical and temperate seas of all oceans; demersal and bathydemersal in shelf and slope waters from 90 to more than 2500 m, most below 200 m.
Characteristics:
Deepwater anglerfishes with large, flabby, slightly compressed balloon-shaped body tapering to small tail, head large, eye large; mouth large, nearly vertical, teeth fine, in narrow bands in both jaws; gill opening a large pore above and behind pectoral-fin base. Two dorsal fins, first with 3 spines, second and third spines embedded in skin between illicium and soft dorsal fin; anal fin short-based, below rear of dorsal fin. Illicium short with fleshy mop-like bait (esca) at tip of snout, retractable into shallow depression between eyes. Skin loose, rough, densely covered with minute, spine-like scales; lateral line system comprising prominent open sensory canals bridged at regular intervals by overlapping spiny scales, present as a sinlge line on body and a conspicuous network of open sensory canals on head.
Size: to about 40 cm TL.
Food and feeding: Carnivores, presumably feeding on fishes and crustaceans.
Reproduction and early life history: Chaunacid larvae distinguished by having 8 caudal rays, & only I, 4 pelvic rays and generally fewer anal-fin rays (6-7); larvae and juvenile specimens often caught at bathypelagic depths.
Fisheries: Occasionally caught as bycatch in commercial fisheries; marketed in some eastern Asian regions.
Australian species:
- Bathychaunax melanostomus Caruso, 1989 Tadpole Coffinfish CAAB 37211005
- Chaunax endeavouri Whitley, 1929 Furry Coffinfish CAAB 37211003
- Chaunax fimbriatus Hilgendorf, 1879 Tassled Coffinfish CAAB 37211001
- Chaunax penicillatus McCulloch, 1915 Pencil Coffinfish CAAB 37211004
References:
Caruso, J.H. 1989a. Systematics and distribution of the Atlantic chaunacid anglerfishes (Pisces: Lophiiformes). Copeia 1989(1): 153-165.
Caruso, J.H. 1989b. A review of the Indo-Pacific members of the deep-water chaunacid anglerfish genus Bathychaunax, with the description of a new species from the eastern Indian Ocean (Pisces: Lophiiformes). Bull. Mar. Sci. 45(3): 574-579.
Caruso, J.H. 1999. Chaunacidae, pp 2020-2022, In Carpenter, K.E. & V.H. Niem. Species identification guide for fisheries purposes. The living marine resources of the western central Pacific. Batoid fishes, chimeras and bony fishes. Part 1 (Elopidae to Linophrynidae). FAO, Rome.
Caruso, J.H. & Kenaley, C.P. 2006. Chaunacidae. Coffinfishes, seatoads, gapers. Version 17 April 2006 (under construction).
http://tolweb.org/Ceratiidae/22010.04.17 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/