Elsman's Whipnose, Gigantactis elsmani Bertelsen, Pietsch & Lavenberg 1981


Elsman's Whipnose, Gigantactis elsmani, from Taiwan - ASIZP 61800. Source: Ho, Hsuan-Ching / Taiwan National Museum of Marine Biology & Aquarium. License: All rights reserved

Summary:
A large black whipnose with a relatively short illicium (93-126% SL), the escal bulb not elongated, and a single proximal pair and two distal pairs of filaments. The illicial base lacks a cluster of white filaments.

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2022, Gigantactis elsmani in Fishes of Australia, accessed 29 Mar 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/3381

Elsman's Whipnose, Gigantactis elsmani Bertelsen, Pietsch & Lavenberg 1981

More Info


Distribution

Off Sydney, New South Wales. Elsewhere the species most likely occurs worldwide.

Features

Dorsal fin 5; Anal fin 4-5; Pectoral fin 15-17. 
Metamorphosed females have single proximal lateral pair and two distal pairs of large escal filaments, lack a distinct distal prolongation of the escal bulb; length of illicium less than 130% SL (93-126%SL); absence of escal papillae; relatively short dentary teeth (longest 3.3% DL), arranged in 5-6 rows; longest caudal fin rays 21-32.5% SL.

Biology

Males are free living.

Etymology

The species "is named for the late Kai L. Elsman, whose superb illustrations have added immeasurably to this revision".

Species Citation

Gigantactis elsmani Bertelsen, Pietsch & Lavenberg 1981, Contrib. Sci. 332: 43, figs. 4E, 41, 42. Type locality: South Atlantic, 10°57'S, 11°20'W, Walther Herwig station 459/71, depth 0-1900 m. 

Author

Bray, D.J. 2022

Resources

Atlas of Living Australia

Catalog of Fishes

Elsman's Whipnose, Gigantactis elsmani Bertelsen, Pietsch & Lavenberg 1981

References


Anderson, M.E. & Leslie, R.W. 2001. Review of the deep-sea anglerfishes (Lophiiformes: Ceratioidei) of southern Africa. Ichthyological Bulletin of the J.L.B. Smith Institute, Grahamstown 70: 1-32

Bertelsen, E., Pietsch, T.W. & Lavenberg, R.J. 1981. Ceratioid anglerfishes of the family Gigantactinidae: morphology, systematics, and distribution. Natural History Museum of  Los Angeles County Contributions in Science 332(6): 1–74 See ref at BHL

Knudsen, S. 2015. Gigantactis elsmani. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T60470481A60787970. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T60470481A60787970.en. Downloaded on 11 August 2017.

McGrouther, M.A. 2001. First record of Elsman's whipnose anglerfish, Gigantactis elsmani (Lophiformes: Gigantactinidae), from Australian waters. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 46(2): 646 See ref at BHL

Pietsch, T.W. 1999. Families Caulophrynidae, Neoceratiidae, Melanocetidae, Himantolophidae, Diceratiidae, Oneirodidae, Thaumatichthyidae, Centrophrynidae, Ceratiidae, Gigantactinidae, Linophrynidae. pp. 2026-2037 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, V.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 3 pp. 1397-2068.

Pietsch, T.W. 2009. Oceanic Anglerfishes. Extraordinary Diversity in the Deep Sea. Berkeley and Los Angeles : University of California Press pp. i-xii + 1-557.

Stewart, A.L. & Pietsch, T.W. 2015. 122 Family Gigantactinidae. pp. 932-936 in Roberts, C.D., Stewart, A.L. & Struthers, C.D. The Fishes of New Zealand. Wellington : Te Papa Press Vol. 3 pp. 577-1152.

Quick Facts


CAAB Code:37217002

Biology:Bioluminescent (females)

Conservation:IUCN Least Concern

Depth:1200-3000 m

Habitat:Bathypelagic

Max Size:48 cm SL (female)

Species Image Gallery

Species Maps

CAAB distribution map