Platytroctidae
Searsia koefoedi
The light pegs ( Platytroctidae; Syn: Searsiidae ) are a family of Alepocephaliformes. The 9 to 30 inches long expectant fish live in the deep sea, usually at depths between 300 and 1000 m water depth in the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean and the Pacific. They are missing in the Mediterranean.
Features
The fish have no swim bladder. Black pigmented bubble under the shoulder girdle, shoulder bag, produced a luminous slimy liquid which can be ejected through a ventral channel at the beginning of the lateral line in defense. Many species have light organs, which are aimed at young fish horizontally, in adult animals down. Platytroctes apus lack the pelvic fins.
Pectoral 14-28, Ventral 6-10, 4-8 gill rays, 40 to 52 vertebrae.
Genera and species
There are 13 species, which together contain 39 types.
- Barbantus ( Parr, 1951) Barbantus curvifrons
- Barbantus elongatus
- Holtbyrnia anomala
- Holtbyrnia cyanocephala
- Holtbyrnia innesi
- Holtbyrnia intermedia
- Holtbyrnia laticauda
- Holtbyrnia latifrons
- Holtbyrnia macrops
- Holtbyrnia melanocephala
- Holtbyrnia ophiocephala
- Matsuichthys aequipinnis
- Maulisia acuticeps
- Maulisia argipalla
- Maulisia isaacsi
- Maulisia mauli
- Maulisia microlepis
- Mentodus bythios
- Mentodus crassus
- Mentodus eubranchus
- Mentodus facilis
- Mentodus longirostris
- Mentodus mesalirus
- Mentodus perforatus
- Mentodus rostratus
- Mirorictus taningi
- Normichthys herringi
- Normichthys operosus
- Normichthys yahganorum
- Pectinantus parini
- Persparsia Kopua
- Platytroctes apus
- Platytroctes mirus
- Sagamichthys abei
- Sagamichthys gracilis
- Sagamichthys schnakenbecki
- Searsia koefoedi
- Searsioides calvala
- Searsioides multispinus