Sea toads
Image:Chaunacops coloratus.jpg Chaunacops coloratus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Lophiiformes Family: Chaunacidae
Genera
Bathychaunax Chaunax See text for species.

Sea toads are a family, Chaunacidae, of deep-sea anglerfishes.^[1]

They are bottom-dwelling fishes found on the continental slopes of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans.

They have large globose bodies and a short compressed tail, and are covered with small spiny scales. Their first dorsal fin ray is modified into a short bioluminescent lure which dangles forward over the mouth, which is turned upwards so as to be nearly vertical. The sensory canals of the lateral lines are especially conspicuous.^[2]

Species

There are fifteen species in two genera:

• Genus Chaunacops Garman, 1899.
  • Chaunacops coloratus (Garman, 1899).
  • Chaunacops melanostomus (Caruso, 1989).
  • Chaunacops roseus (Barbour, 1941).
• Genus Chaunax Lowe, 1846.
  • Chaunax abei Le Danois, 1978.
  • Chaunax breviradius Le Danois, 1978.
  • Coffinfish, Chaunax endeavouri Whitley, 1929.
  • Chaunax fimbriatus Hilgendorf, 1879.
  • Chaunax flammeus Le Danois, 1979.
  • Chaunax latipunctatus Le Danois, 1984.
  • Chaunax penicillatus McCulloch, 1915.
  • Pink frogmouth, Chaunax pictus Lowe, 1846.
  • Redeye gaper, Chaunax stigmaeus Fowler, 1946.
  • Chaunax suttkusi Caruso, 1989.
  • Chaunax tosaensis Okamura & Oryuu, 1984.
  • Chaunax umbrinus Gilbert, 1905.

References

1. ^ "Chaunacidae". FishBase. Ed. Rainer Froese and Daniel Pauly. February 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.
2. ^ John H. Caruso (2005). "Chaunacidae". Tree of Life web project. Retrieved on 3 April 2006.