Deepsea Blackdevil, Melanocetus murrayi Günther, 1887

Scientific name: Melanocetus murrayi
Alternative name/s:
Murray's Abyssal Anglerfish
  • Author(s)
    Mark McGrouther
  • Updated
    18/02/19
  • Read time
    2 minutes
Melanocetus murrayi Click to enlarge image
A Murray's Abyssal Anglerfish from the Australian Museum Fish Collection (AMS I.22812-047). This fish was trawled at a depth of 800m, 300 km north-west of Port Hedland, Western Australia, April 1982. Image: Sally Reader
© Australian Museum

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Melanocetus
    Species
    murrayi
    Family
    Melanocetidae
    Order
    Lophiiformes
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    Females grow to 12 cm in length but males only grow to 2 cm.

Introduction

Deepsea Blackdevils live their sexually dimorphic lives the deepsea.

Identification

The Deepsea Blackdevil is a soft-bodied fish that lacks scales and pelvic fins. It has a large head and mouth, with long pointed teeth. There is a short illicium with a bulbous esca on the snout. Live fish are black.

Melanocetus murrayi
A Murray's Abyssal Anglerfish from the Australian Museum Fish Collection (AMS I.22812-047). This fish was trawled at a depth of 800m, 300 km north-west of Port Hedland, Western Australia, April 1982. Image: S. Reader
© Australian Museum

Habitat

The Deepsea Blackdevil is a bathypelagic species.

Distribution

The species occurs worldwide in deep tropical and temperate waters. In Australia the species has been collected from scattered localities off north-western Western Australia, but is almost certainly more widespread.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

Distribution data sourced from the Atlas of Living Australia

Breeding behaviours

The species is sexually dimorphic.

References

  1. Bertelsen, E., 1990. Melanocetidae. in Quero, J.C., Hureau, J.C., Karrer, C. Post, A. & L. Saldanha (eds.) Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA). JNICT, Lisbon; SEI, Paris; and UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 1. v-xxxii, 1-519.
  2. Bertelsen, E., & Pietsch, T.W. 1983. The Ceratioid Anglerfishes of Australia. Records of the Australian Museum. 35: 77-99.
  3. Paxton, J.R., D.F. Hoese, G.R. Allen & J.E. Hanley. 1989. Zoological Catalogue of Australia Vol.7 Pisces Petromyzontidae to Carangidae. Canberra: Australian Biological Resources Survey. Pp. i-xii, 1-665.