Chionodraco hamatus
| Chionodraco hamatus | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Channichthyidae |
| Genus: | Chionodraco |
| Species: | C. hamatus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Chionodraco hamatus | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
|
Chaenichthys rhinoceratus hamatus Lönnberg, 1905 | |
Chionodraco hamatus is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Channichthyidae, the crocodile icefishes. It is found in the Southern Ocean.
Taxonomy[edit]
Chionodraco hamatus was first formally described in 1905 as Chaenichthys rhinoceratus hamatus by the Swedish zoologist Einar Lönnberg with the type locality given as Snow Hill Island in Graham Land on the Antarctic Peninsula.[3] Lönnberg subsequent classified it in a new genus Chionodraco as its only species so C. hamatus is the type species of that genus by monotypy.[4] Some authorities regard C. kathleenae as a valid species.[3] The specific name hamatus means “hooked”, a reference to the hooked operculum spines.[5]
Description[edit]
Chionodraco hamatus has a robust, backwards pointing spine on its snout. In larger individuals the ridges above the eyes are roughly textured. The dorsal fin has 5 to 7 spines and 38 to 42 soft rays while the anal fin has 33 to 38 soft rays. The overall colour is greyish on the upper body and whitish on the belly with 2 diagonal stripes on the cheek. Mature males have dark fins.[6] This species attains a maximum total length of 49 cm (19 in).[2]
Distribution and habitat[edit]
Chionodraco hamatus is found in the cold waters of the continental shelf in Antarctica. This species lives in the demersal zone, and can be found at a depth range of 4 to 600 metres.[2]
Biology[edit]
Chionodraco hamatus feeds most on small fish, krill, and fish larvae. [7]
Spawning appears to occur during the summer and females have a fecundity of 2,900 to 4,200 oocytes.[6] In common with many other channichthyid fishes, reproduction in Chionodraco hamatus involves laying eggs in a nest and parental guarding. Male prepares a nest and courts the female. Egg deposition (and presumably fertilization too) takes place at night. Female remains in the nest, guarding and fanning the eggs. Hatching takes place over a prolonged period of time. Male seems not to be involved in the care of the eggs.[8] The larvae have a long pelagic phase.[2]
References[edit]
- ^ "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Chionodraco hamatus (Lönnberg, 1905)". Marinespecies.org. Retrieved 2012-02-15.
- ^ a b c d Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2021). "Chionodraco hamatus" in FishBase. June 2021 version.
- ^ a b Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Chionodraco". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
- ^ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Channichthyidae". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
- ^ Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara, eds. (12 April 2021). "Order Perciformes: Suborder Notothenoididei: Families Bovichtidae, Pseaudaphritidae, Elegopinidae, Nototheniidae, Harpagiferidae, Artedidraconidae, Bathydraconidae, Channichthyidae and Percophidae". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
- ^ a b T. Iwami and K-H Koch (1990). "Channicthyidae Icefishes". In O. Gon and P.C. Heemstra (eds.). Fishes of the Southern Ocean. South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity. ISBN 9780868102115.
- ^ "Polybrominated diphenil ethers (PBDEs) and organochlorine pollutants in two species of Antarctic fish". Globalchange.nasa.gov. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2012-02-15.
- ^ Ferrando, S.; Castellano, L.; Gallus, L.; Ghigliotti, L.; Masini, M. A.; Pisano, E. & Vacchi, M. (2014). "A demonstration of nesting in two Antarctic icefish (genus Chionodraco) using a fin dimorphism analysis and ex situ videos". PLOS ONE. 9 (3): e90512. Bibcode:2014PLoSO...990512F. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0090512. PMC 3944016. PMID 24598889.