Family PARAULOPIDAE

Common name: Cucumberfishes

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Summary:

A small family of slender bodied cylindrical fishes with very large eyes, weakly attached cycloid scales, lateral line running along the midsides, and a high, short-based first dorsal fin, followed by small adipose fin. Cucumberfishes have a large terminal mouth with the lower jaw protruding only slightly, if at all. 

Cucumberfishes were considered to be species of greeneyes (family Chlorophthalmidae) until Sato & Nakabo (2001) showed them to belong to a separate family.

The single genus Paraulopus occurs in tropical and temperate waters of the Indo-West Pacific and is particularly diverse in the Australian region.

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Cite this page as:
Dianne J. Bray & Martin F. Gomon, Cucumberfishes, PARAULOPIDAE in Fishes of Australia, accessed 08 Sep 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/family/289

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Family Taxonomy

The family Paraulopidae was erected recently by Sato & Nakabo (2002) to accommodate a number of species that had been previously placed in the family Chlorophthalmidae - the greeneyes. The Paraulopidae comprises a single genus, Paraulopus, with 15 described species and a number of species that are yet to be described.

Family Distribution

Cucumberfishes are found in the tropical and temperate waters of the Indo-West Pacific and are particularly diverse in the Australian region.

Family Description

 Slender bodied, mostly cylindrical fishes with very large eyes, weakly attached cycloid scales, lateral line on middle of side and high, short-based first dorsal fin, followed by small adipose fin; mouth terminal, large, lower jaw protruding little, if at all, in advance of upper, with fine villiform teeth in broad bands overlapping onto lateral surfaces of premaxilla and dentary; second infraorbital bone forming part of lower rim of orbit uniformly broad, third tapering posteriorly, together cupping underside of eye.

Author

 Dianne J. Bray & Martin F. Gomon

References

Gomon, M.F. 2010. A new species of Paraulopus (Aulopiformes: Paraulopidae) from seamounts of the Tasman Sea. Memoirs of the Museum of Victoria v. 67: 15-18. 
Gomon, M.F. & Sato, T. 2004. A new cucumberfish (Paraulopidae) of the Paraulopus nigripinnis complex from central eastern Australia. Records of the Australian Museum 56: 195-199 [196, figs 1-2].
Sato, T., M.F. Gomon & T. Nakabo. 2010. Two new Australian species of the Paraulopus nigripinnis complex (Aulopiformes: Paraulopidae). Ichthyological Research 57(3): 254-262.

Sato, T. & Nakabo, T. 2002. Paraulopidae and Paraulopus, a new family and genus of aulopiform fishes with revised relationships within the order. Ichthyological Research 49: 25-46.

Sato, T. & Nakabo, T. 2002. Two new species of Paraulopus (Osteichthyes: Aulopiformes) from New Zealand and eastern Australia, and comparisons with P. nigripinnis. Species Diversity 7: 393-404 [396, figs 1B, 2(B, E. H)].