Family DIRETMIDAE

Common name: Spinyfins

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Summary:

Deep-bodied compressed fishes with a large deep head, prominent serrated head ridges and deep mucous cavities, large eyes, and a large, almost vertical mouth with an angled bony point on the lower jaw tip; true fin spines absent, scales rough-edged, covering head and body; dorsal and anal fins long-based, low, fin-rays with small spines at bases and along fins; pelvic fins with characteristic long blade-like ‘spine’ having numerous small laterally projecting spines on outside edge; caudal fin forked.

Key to Australian species of DIRETMIDAE

1a. Undersurface of body before pelvic fins without scutes; anus midway between anal fin and pelvic fin origins ................................................................................................ Diretmichthys parini

1b. Undersurface of body before pelvic fins with scutes; anus immediately before anal-fin origin ................................................................................................ Diretmus argenteus

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Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2018, Spinyfins, DIRETMIDAE in Fishes of Australia, accessed 13 Sep 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/family/102

More Info

Family Taxonomy

Small family with 3 genera and 4 species; 2 genera and two species in Australian waters. Family reviewed by Kotlyar (1996).

Family Distribution

Found worldwide in tropical and temperate waters; species inhabit mesopelagic waters.

Family Description

Meristic features: Dorsal fin 24-30; Anal fin 19-22 rays; Pelvic fins I, 6; Branchiostegal rays 7-8; Vertebrae 20- 32 

Lateral line absent. Spines absent from dorsal and anal fins. Abdomen with a sharp keel of ventral scutes.

Family Size

 To 40 cm TL.

Family Commercial

 Taken as bycatch in commercial trawls - of no commercial importance.

Author

 Bray, D.J. 2018

References

Bray, D.J. 2008. Family Diretmidae; Spinyfins. pp. 431-432 in Gomon, M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp. 

Fahay, M. 2007. Early Stages of Fishes in the Western North Atlantic Ocean (Davis Strait, Southern Greenland and Flemish Cap to Cape Hatteras). Vol 1. Acipenseriformes through Syngnathiformes (p. 1-931). Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization.

Konishi, Y. 1999. Developmental and comparative morphology of beryciform larvae. (Teleostei: Acanthomorpha), with comments on trachichthyoid relationships. Bull. Sekai Natl Fish. Res. Inst. 77: 23-92.

Kotlyar, A.N. 1988. Classification and distribution of fishes of the family Diretmidae (Beryciformes).  Journal of Ichthyology 28(2): 1-15.

Kotlyar, A.N. 1990. Diretmichthys, a new genus of Diretmidae (Beryciformes). Journal of Ichthyology 30(2): 153-162.

Kotlyar, A.N. 1996. Beryciform fishes of the World. Moscow: VNIRO. 368 p.

Paxton, J.R. 1999. Families Gibberichthyidae, Rondeletiidae, Barbourisiidae, Cetomimidae, Mirapinnidae, Megalomycteridae, Anoplogastridae, Diretmidae. pp. 2203-2211 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, T.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 4 2069-2790 pp.

Post, A. & Quéro, J.C. 1981. Revision des Diretmidae (Pisces, Trachichthyoidei) de l'Atlantique avec description d'un noveau genre et d'une nouvelle espèce. Cybium 3 5(1): 33-60 figs 1-11

Richards, W.J., Lyczkowski-Shultz, J. & Konieczena, M. 2006. Diretmidae: Spinyfins (pp. 1041–1046). In: Early Stages of Atlantic Fishes. An Identification Guide for the Western Central North Atlantic, Vol. I. Richards W. J. CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, NOAA, Miami.

Watson, W. 1996. Diretmidae. (pp. 679-681) in Moser, H.G. (ed.) The early stages of fishes in the California Current Region. CalCOFI Atlas 33: 1505 p.