Goosefish

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Goosefishes, sometimes called anglers or monkfishes, are a family, the Lophiidae, of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the order Lophiiformes, the anglerfishes. The family includes 30 recognized species. These fishes are found in all the world's oceans except for the Antarctic Ocean.

TaxonomyEdit

The goosefish family, Lophiidae, was first proposed as a genus in 1810 by the French polymath and naturalist Constantine Samuel Rafinesque.<ref name = VDLEF>Template:Cite journal</ref> The Lophiidae is the only family in the monotypic suborder Lophioidei, this is one of 5 suborders of the Lophiiformes.<ref name = Nelson5>Template:Cite book</ref> The Lophioidei is considered to be the most basal of the suborders in the order.<ref name = Misaki>Template:Cite journal</ref>

EtymologyEdit

The goosefish family, Lophiidae, takes its name from its type genus, Lophius. Lophius means "mane" and is presumably a reference to the first 3 spines of the first dorsal fin which are tentacle like, with 3 smaller spines behind them.<ref name = ETYFish>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

GeneraEdit

The goosefish family, Lophiidae, contains the following extant genera:<ref name = CofF>Template:Cof family</ref> Template:Linked genus list

Fossil taxaEdit

The following extinct taxa are also among those included in the family Lophiidae:<ref name = fossilworks>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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CharacteristicsEdit

Goosefishes in the family Lophiidae have flattened heads and bodies covered in thin skin<ref name = Fariña>Template:Cite journal</ref> and are further characterised by the possession of pelvic fins with the first, spiny dorsal fin having its origin close to the rear of the head and this fin is supported by between one and three spines.<ref name = Nelson5/> The frontmost spine, the illicium, has a flap of flesh, the esca, at its tip and is used as a lure to attract prey to within reach of the cavernous mouth.<ref name = labnews>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> There are 4 pharyngobranchials, the 4th being toothed, and they have a large pseudobranch. The body has no scales and the frontal bones of the skull are fused. They have a very wide, flattened head, although Sladenia has a more rounded head, with well developed teeth. The lower jaw has a fringe of small flaps along its edge and these extend along the head onto the flanks. The second dorsal fin is supported by between 8 and 12 soft rays while the anal fin contains between 6 and 10 soft rays. Most taxa have 18 or 19 vertebrae but in Lophius this count is between 26 and 31.<ref name = Nelson5/> The opening to the gills os located to the rear of the pectoral fin base.<ref name = STRI>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The largest species in the family is the angler (Lophius piscatorius) which has a maximum published standard length of Template:Cvt while the smallest is Lophiodes fimbriatus with a maximum published standard length of Template:Cvt.<ref name = Fishbase>{{#invoke:Cite taxon|main|fishbase|genus=|species=|subspecies=}}</ref>

DistributionEdit

The goosefishes, family Lophiidae are found in the temperate, tropical, and subtropical Atlantic Indian and Pacific Oceans.<ref name = Fishbase/>

Habitat and biologyEdit

The goosefishes are typically found on soft substrates on the continental margin, most frequently at depths greater than Template:Cvt, and there are species whichhave been found at depths greater than Template:Cvt. A few species, such as the American angler (Lophius americanus) are found in shallower waters, sometimes moving into bays and estuaries with high-salinity water in the winter.<ref name = FAO>Template:Cite book</ref> At least in the genus Lophius the females release their spawn enclosed within a gelatinous mass, which has been compared to the spawn of toads in appearance, which floats. They have pelagic eggs and larvae with demersal juveniles and benthic adults.<ref name = Caramaschi>Template:Cite journal</ref>

UtilisationEdit

Goosefishes, particularly several of the large species in the genus Lophius, commonly known as monkfishes in northern Europe, are important commercially fished species.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The liver of monkfish, known as ankimo, is considered a delicacy in Japan.<ref name = ankimo>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

ReferencesEdit

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