326 



ONTOGENY AND SYSTEMATICS OF FISHES-AHLSTROM SYMPOSIUM 



Table 89. Characteristics of Ceratioidei. 



(1-2) High numbers of dorsal and anal fin rays possibly a pnmitive character state; (3) Nine rays presumed pnmitive; 8'/:: 9th ray reduced to less than half length of the 8th. (4) Six rays 

 presumed pnmitive; (5) Three radials. shared with antennanoids, here presumed to be pnmitive; however, the trend to reduce the number from 4 to 3 in older specimens of centrophrymds and 

 melanocetids might indicate that within ceratioids four radials are pnmitive and three a result of secondary reduction; (6) Distally expanded pelvic bones (triradiate in Himanfolophus and some 

 specimens of the oneirodid genus Chaenophryne). presumed pnmitive; XI: a simple rod; X2: absent; (7) Double head of hyomandibular presumed pnmitive; X: single head (in oneirodids in 

 only one of the 15 genera); (8) Panetals absent in all himantolophids. lost in metamorphosed females of the gigantactinid genus Rhynchactis. (9) Presence of pterosphenoid presumed pnmitive 

 (absent in one of the oneirodid genera); (10) A single epural observed in Caulophn'iie and in the linophrynid genus Phnlocon'nus. (11) The absence of escal photophore presumed pnmitive in 

 Caulophrynidae. and possibly in Neoceraltas while the absence in the gigantactinid genus Rhynchaclis is presumed to be due to a secondary specialization (cf text); (12) While the presence of a 

 photophore on 2nd cephalic ray is a denved character stale, the presence of this ray may be regarded as primitive; (13) Frontals meeting in the midline presumed pnmitive (in linophrynids 

 present in Pholocorynus); (26) Parasitic males observed in Neoceraltas, both genera of Ceratiidae, one of the two genera of Caulophrynidae. four of the five genera of Linophrynidae. and one of 

 the 15 genera of Oneirodidae; (27) Presence of an external illicial rudiment in larval males presumed primitive; (28) Presence of pelvic fins presumed pnmitive, (29) Enlarged pectoral fins here 

 presumed pnmitive; and (30) Short, more or less sphencal body presumed pnmitive; XI: moderately elongate; X2: slender; X3: hump-backed. 



A cluster of eggs embedded in a mucoid substance hanging 

 out of the greatly expanded genital opening of a sexually par- 

 asitized female of Ltnophryne arborifera was observed by Ber- 

 telsen ( 1 980:66). This indicates that Ceratioidei expel their eggs 

 in free-floating mucoid egg "rafts" or "veils," as described in 

 species of the other suborders of Lophiiformes (Rasquin, 1 958). 

 It is possible that the release of the egg veil of the specimen was 

 caused by the catch, and that the eggs were not completely 

 mature. They were slightly oval, 0.6-0.8 mm in diameter, with 

 smooth, very soft outer membranes that were folded or shrunk- 

 en in several. The yolk, which contained numerous small oil 

 globules, was opaque and partially surrounded by an irregular 

 perivitelline space. 



The observed number of ceratioid females with apparently 

 nearly mature ovaries is relatively small. In these, the largest 

 eggs have diameters of 0.5-0.75 mm. 



Larvae and/or metamorphic stages representing all 1 1 fami- 

 lies and 26 of the 34 recognized genera have been described, 

 the majority by Bertelsen (1951). Identification to species is 

 restricted, however, to those genera, subgenera or "species- 

 groups" in which only a single species is recognized. 



No specialized ontogenetic stage between larvae and juveniles 

 occurs. In most genera, metamorphosis begins at a size of 8-10 

 mm SL, while in some (Himantolophidae, Thaumatichthys, Gi- 

 gantactinidae, and Linophrynidae), the larvae may reach lengths 

 of 15-25 mm. During metamorphosis, covering a size range 

 somewhat varying between genera, adult characters are gradu- 

 ally acquired. In both sexes, the skin is gradually covered with 

 pigment (except in Haplophryne), and in certain genera, skin 

 spines are developed. In females the illicial and escal characters 

 develop, the head and especially the jaws increase in relative 

 size, the larval teeth are replaced, and the growth of eyes and 



