Biology:Rhycherinae
Rhycherinae, the Balrog frogfishes, is a subfamily of frogfish found in the Indo-Pacific region.[1] Members of this subfamily were previously placed in the subfamily Histiophryninae (formerly treated as the family Histiophrynidae), but a 2022 phylogenetic study found them to form a distinct clade, which was described as the family Rhycheridae.[2] A 2025 phylogenetic study found Antennariidae to be oversplit into multiple families, and thus reclassified the Rhycheridae as the subfamily Rhycherinae. Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes presently recognizes the clade as a subfamily.[3]
The common name "Balrog frogfishes" references the red coloration seen on many members of the species, which, when combined with their frequently open mouths, is remiscent of the Balrog of J. R. R. Tolkien's works.[2]
Taxonomy
Rhycherinae contains the following genera:[4]
- Phyllophryne Allenichthys
- Pietsch, 1984 McCulloch & Waite, 1918
- Pietsch, 1984 Porophryne
- Kuiterichthys Arnold, Harcourt & Pietsch, 2014
- Echinophryne Pietsch, 1984
- Ogilby, 1907 Rhycherus
Characteristics
Members of this group are distinguished from the Antennarinae by the loss of the mesopterygoid and epural. However, the major difference is in the ovaries and the reproductive strategies shown by these fishes. They have simple oval shaped ovaries while those of Antennariinae have ovaries which are shaped like a double scroll. They do not undergo metamorphosis and the eggs and young are given some amount of parental care whereas antennariines are broadcast spawners.[5] Generally, they are small fishes, the largest species is Glauert's anglerfish (Allenchthys glauerti) with a maximum published total length of 11 cm (4.3 in).[6]
References
- ↑ Fricke, R.; Eschmeyer, W. N.; Van der Laan, R. (2025). "ESCHMEYER'S CATALOG OF FISHES: CLASSIFICATION" (in en). https://www.calacademy.org/eschmeyers-catalog-of-fishes-classification.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Hart, Pamela B.; Arnold, Rachel J.; Alda, Fernando; Kenaley, Christopher P.; Pietsch, Theodore W.; Hutchinson, Destinee; Chakrabarty, Prosanta (2022-06-01). "Evolutionary relationships of anglerfishes (Lophiiformes) reconstructed using ultraconserved elements". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 171. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107459. ISSN 1055-7903. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1055790322000720.
- ↑ Maile, Alex J.; Smith, W. Leo; Davis, Matthew P. (May 2, 2025). "A total-evidence phylogenetic approach to understanding the evolution, depth transitions, and body-shape changes in the anglerfishes and allies (Acanthuriformes: Lophioidei)". PLOS 20 (5). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0322369. PMID 40315280. Bibcode: 2025PLoSO..2022369M.
- ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron; van der Laan, Richard, eds. "Genera in the family Rhycherinae". California Academy of Sciences. http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/fishcatget.asp?tbl=genus&family=Rhycherinae.
- ↑ Arnold, R. J.; R. G. Harcourt; T. W. Pietsch (2014). "A new genus and species of the frogfish family Antennariidae (Teleostei: Lophiiformes: Antennarioidei) from New South Wales, Australia, with a diagnosis and key to the genera of the Histiophryninae". Copeia 2014 (3): 534–539. doi:10.1643/CI-13-155.
- ↑ Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2024). "Histiophrynidae" in FishBase. February 2024 version.
Wikidata ☰ Q136431760 entry
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