Fanfin Angler, Caulophryne jordani Goode & Bean 1896
A female Fanfin Angler, Caulophryne jordani, with an attached male - photographed at a depth of 800 m in the Azores Archipelago by the manned submersible LULA1000. Source: Rebikoff-Niggeler Foundation. License: All rights reserved
Summary:
A short rounded ceratioid anglerfish with extremely long dorsal- and anal-fin rays enveloping the body, and a long illicium on the snout tipped with whitish bioluminescent esca (lure) having a tuft of many filaments. The whisker-like filaments and fin rays are bioluminescent and may act as a net. The smaller males are parasitic on the females.
Fabulous footage of a female Fanfin Angler with a dwarf male fused to her belly.
The pair were filmed by a deep-sea submersible at a dpeth of 800 metres off São Jorge Island, the Azores, Portugal, August 2016.
Fabulous footage of a female Fanfin Angler with a dwarf male fused to her belly.
The pair were filmed by a deep-sea submersible at a dpeth of 800 metres off São Jorge Island, the Azores, Portugal, August 2016.
Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2026, Caulophryne jordani in Fishes of Australia, accessed 12 Nov 2026, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/3425
Fanfin Angler, Caulophryne jordani Goode & Bean 1896
More Info
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Distribution |
Off Newcastle, New South Wales, to south of Tasmania, and on the Norfolk Ridge in the Tasman Sea, just south of AUS EEZ (32º37´S, 167º47´E). Elsewhere the species is circumglobal in all oceans, except Polar seas. |
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Features |
Dorsal fin 16-19; Anal fin 14-18; Pectoral fin 16-19; Upper jaw teeth 17-39; Lower jaw teeth 12-26; Vomerine teeth 2-5. Illicium pigmented except near esca, with 5-14 elongate translucent filaments along entire length, all but distal-most arising from posterior margin; length of illicium 16.8-36.8%SL; stem of illicium pigmented except near esca; esca with an elongate filamentous anterolateral appendage; 2 distal appendages, each bearing numerous filaments, anterior most short and stout, opaque along posterior margin, posterior most considerably more slender; posterolateral appendage bearing numerous short filaments and with palmate opaque distal tip. |
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Biology |
The smaller males are parasitic on the females. Larvae and free-swimming males have pelvic fins, which are lost in females and parasitic males. Males grow to about 1.6 cm TL. |
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Etymology |
The species is named for American ichthyologist, David Starr Jordan. |
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Species Citation |
Caulophryne jordani Goode & Bean 1896, Special Bulletin U. S. Natl Mus. 2: 496, pl. 121 fig. 409. Type locality: Gulf Stream off Long Island, New York, USA, 39°27'N, 71°15'W, Albatross station 2747, depth 0-1276 fathoms. |
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Author |
Bray, D.J. 2026 |
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Resources |
Fanfin Angler, Caulophryne jordani Goode & Bean 1896
References
Goode, G.B. & Bean, T.H. 1896. Oceanic ichthyology. Special Bulletin United States National Museum 2: 1-553 pls 1-123. See ref at BHL
Jónsson, G. & Pálsson, J. 1999. Fishes of the suborder Ceratioidei (Pisces: Lophiiformes) in Icelandic and adjacent waters. Rit Fiskideildar 16: 197-208.
Knudsen, S. 2015. Caulophryne jordani. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T190447A60458538. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T190447A60458538.en. Downloaded on 03 April 2018.
Pietsch, T.W. 1979. Systematics and distribution of ceratioid anglerfishes of the family Caulophrynidae with the description of a new genus and species from the Banda Sea. Contributions in Science (Los Angeles) 310: 1-25.
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. 1998. The ceratioid anglerfishes (Lophiiformes: Ceratioidei) of New Zealand. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand 28(1): 1-37.
Stewart, A.L. & Pietsch, T.W. 2015. Families Caulophrynidae and Melanocetidae. pp. 903-907 in Roberts, C.D., Stewart, A.L. & Struthers, C.D. The Fishes of New Zealand. Wellington : Te Papa Press Vol. 3 pp. 577-1152.
