dawkinsia filamentosa is a species of barb .

young fish have barely any color and black spots .

they start having more color at three months old .

the fish is a swift swimmer .

males are larger than females and they fertilize eggs by swimming into the cloud of eggs .

the species is most commonly found in coastal floodplains near the southwest indian states of kerala , tamil nadu and karnataka .

the species ' common names are filament barb and blackspot barb .

dawkinsia filamentosa

several dawkinsia species , including d . filamentosa , continue to appear on trade lists as ‘mahecola barb’ .
filamentosa : from the latin filamentosa , meaning ‘filamentous’ , in reference to the dorsal - fin extensions which develop as the fish mature .
dawkinsia filamentosa is an omnivorous species and major components of its diet vary spatially , temporally , and ontogenetically . major food items include aquatic macrophytes , insects , cladocerans , ostracods , and detritus ( weliange and amarasinghe 2003 ) .
dawkinsia : named for richard dawkins , for ‘his contribution to the public understanding of science and , in particular , of evolutionary science’ .
table 1 . states with nonindigenous occurrences , the earliest and latest observations in each state , and the tally and names of hucs with observations† . names and dates are hyperlinked to their relevant specimen records . the list of references for all nonindigenous occurrences of dawkinsia filamentosa are found here .
another old favorite , dawkinsia filamentosa was formerly in the genus puntius , where it was the type species for the filamentosus - group . the filament barb’s common name derives from the extended dorsal fin filaments possessed by adult males . this feature distinguishes it from most other members of the genus .
forms apparently intermediate between d . filamentosa and d . tambraparniei have also been collected where the two occur together in the thamirabarani river , tamil nadu .
adult males of d . filamentosa . the fish in the bottom - left corner of the image is a specimen of the closely - related d . assimilis .
leo nico , pamela j . schofield , and matt neilson , 2018 , dawkinsia filamentosa ( valenciennes in cuvier and valenciennes , 1844 ) : u . s . geological survey , nonindigenous aquatic species database , gainesville , fl , urltoken revision date : 3 / 11 / 2012 , peer review date : 2 / 10 / 2016 , access date : 7 / 9 / 2018
d . filamentosa has been misidentified as puntius mahecola ( valenciennes 1844 ) in the past but the identity of both species was resolved by pethioyagoda and kottelat ( 2005a , 2005b ) .
like d . filamentosa , adult male d . tambraparniei also possess extended rays in the dorsal fin . although it is similar in size and temperament to d . filamentosa , i’ve ranked d . tambraparniei higher because i find it more attractive . there is more of a pattern on the body , with variously shaped black blotches , a green area behind the gills , and a bit of green iridescence over the body .
p . mahecola had previously been considered a synonym of d . filamentosa , with a fish resembling the latter collected from the chalakudy river and exported for the aquarium hobby as ‘ p . mahecola ‘ in 1996 .
the common name for dawkinsia tambraparniei represents an old misidentification that has been perpetuated in the hobby for many years . the true d . arulius is exceedingly rare in the hobby , and almost all the fish sold as arulius barbs are in fact d . tambraparniei .
they inspected the syntypes of p . mahecola and concluded that though valid it isn’t closely related to any member of dawkinsia ( then the p . filamentosus group ) but is rather a smaller , silvery fish with a single dark blotch on the caudal peduncle , located entirely posterior to the anal - fin .
the majority of sub - himalayan puntius species were reclassified and new genera dawkinsia , dravidia , and pethia erected to accomodate some of them , with the remainder either retained in puntius or moved to the existing systomus assemblage , though the definition of the latter was altered meaning some southeast asian species formerly placed there are no longer members .
while no conclusions were reached because dna testing was not performed , hybridisation between d . filamentosa and d . arulius in that river had previously been speculated and is a phenomenon known to be more common in the family cyprinidae than in any other group of fishes , meaning future research may yield interesting results .
d . exclamatio should also have a sub - terminal mouth and lack dorsal - fin filaments but some specimens possess a terminal mouth and / or possess dorsal filaments , and one specimen also had black caudal - fin tips as typically seen in d . filamentosa , whereas the description states that the fin tips are only dusky and lack distinctive markings .
distinguishing characteristics , a key , and a figure were given in talwar and jhingran ( 1992 ) , and a key to the ' puntius filamentosus ' species group was given by pethiyagoda and kottelat ( 2005 ) . pethiyagoda et al . ( 2012 ) recently moved this species into the genus dawkinsia , and provided a key to genera related to puntius . color photographs appeared in axelrod et al . ( 1985 ) and in petrovicky ( 1988 ) .
growing to 5 inches ( 12 . 5 cm ) in length , this species is ideally suited to 75 gallon ( 284 liters ) and larger aquaria where it will be best displayed in larger schools . it is a great tankmate for similarly sized fishes that are not overly territorial or aggressive . filament barbs are plant safe and do well in planted aquariums . d . filamentosa is sometimes sold as d . mahecola .
within the group the most similar - looking species are d . assimilis and d . rohani , but the former is readily identifiable by possession of an inferior mouth ( vs . subterminal in d . filamentosa ) and longer maxillary barbels ( 5 . 5 - 9 . 3 % sl , vs . 0 . 5 - 2 . 2 % ) , while in the latter the caudal - fin lobes lack transverse black bands .
other species found in the same general area include pethia conchonius , puntius denisonii , haludaria fasciata , dawkinsia assimilis , d . arulius , d . rubrotinctus , barilius bakeri , b . bendelisis , b . canarensis , devario malabaricus , esomus danricus , garra mcclellandi , g . hughi , bhavania australis , travancoria jonesi , mesonoemacheilus guentheri , m . triangularis , schistura denisonii , lepidocephalichthys thermalis , batasio travancoria , mystus armatus , m . canarensis , glyptothorax annandalei , aplocheilus lineatus , parambassis thomassi , etroplus canarensis , e . maculatus , sicyopterus griseus , pseudosphromenus dayi , channa striata , and carinotetraodon travancoricus .
d . filamentosa is told apart from all other d awksinia spp . by the following combination of characters : branched dorsal – fin rays extended into filament - like extensions in adult males and some adult females ; a black band about as wide as the eye near tip of each caudal - fin lobe ; lower lip continuous ; presence of a dark blotch on the caudal peduncle , 2 - 5 scales wide and commencing posterior to anal - fin origin ; no distinct markings on body in advance of anal - fin origin .
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thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the iucn red list of threatened species website , we are grateful for your input .
eschmeyer , w . n . ( ed . ) . 2015 . catalog of fishes . updated 7 january 2015 . available at : urltoken . ( accessed : 7 january 2015 ) .
rema devi , k . r . , gopalakrishnan , a . , johnson , j . a . , rahul , k . & molur , s .
is found over a large area where threats are not uniform and also , since in rivers with existing threats , it is resilient and is assessed as least concern .
is widely distributed across peninsular india , in the east flowing cauvery , krishna and tamitaparani rivers of andhra pradesh , karnataka and tamil nadu and throughout the west flowing coastal floodplain rivers of kerala , karnataka and goa .
it occurs in lowland , upper and middle reaches of rivers and also in estuaries , reservoirs and marshes ( pethiyagoda and kottelat 2005 , jayaram 2010 ) . occurs in the west coast of maharashtra ( s . jadhav pers . comm . 2010 ) .
it is very common across its range . the population status for this species is unknown .
is a common fish found inhabiting a whole array of habitats , both in the hill streams and streams of the lowlands and wetlands . it exhibits sexual dimorphism during the breeding periods . in breeding males , the anterior 4 - 5 branched rays of the dorsal fin are extended into filaments , the scales display a brighter colour and the snout becomes covered with tubercles . it is also often found very close to the sea ( for e . g . , the type locality , alleppey ) in brackish water , together with typically estuarine fishes ( jayaram 1991 , chhapgar and manakadan 2000 , pethiyagoda and kottelat 2005 ) .
the species is often caught for consumption by local people . it is also caught for the aquarium trade .
many rivers in the species ' range is undergoing degradation due to pollution and habitat destruction , but the species is still found in large numbers in many of these rivers and also in dam reservoirs .
the species occurs in some protected areas , but the majority of it ' s range is unprotected .
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this species will display better colouration and more interesting behaviour when maintained in a group .
the bhadra river , pictured here near kalasa , chikamagalur district , karnataka , is a natural habitat of this species .
freshly - collected adult males from chembarambakkam lake , tamil nadu state , southern india .
possible natural hybrid : this wild - collected fish does not have an inferior mouth but possesses prominent barbels , thus mixing diagnostic characters for both d . assimilis and d . filamentosus .
sexually - mature males develop a series of tubercules on the snout and head when in spawning condition .
endemic to but widespread within the western ghats mountains region of southern india in the states of kerala , tamil nadu and karnataka , and possibly restricted to the south of the latter .
type locality is ‘alleppey’ , also known as alappuzha , situated between vembanad lake and the arabian sea , 9°20’n , 76°25’e , kerala state , southwestern india .
according to pethiyagoda and kottelat ( 2005 ) this species is most common in lowland coastal floodplains . it’s found in both fresh and brackish waters of rivers , estuaries , coastal marshes and reservoirs .
not difficult to keep in a well - maintained set - up , though we recommend aquascaping the tank to resemble a flowing stream or river with a substrate of variably - sized , water - worn rocks , sand , fine gravel and perhaps some small boulders .
this can be further furnished with driftwood roots or branches , and while the majority of aquatic plants will fail to thrive in such surroundings hardy types such as microsorum , bolbitis or anubias spp . can be grown attached to the décor .
since it naturally occurs in relatively pristine habitats it’s intolerant to accumulation of organic pollutants and requires more - or - less spotless water in order to thrive .
though torrent - like conditions are unnecessary it also does best if there is a high proportion of dissolved oxygen and moderate water movement , while weekly water changes of 30 - 50 % tank volume should be considered routine .
probably a foraging omnivore feeding on a variety of worms , insects , crustaceans , plant material , and other organic debris in nature .
in the aquarium it’s easily - fed but a balanced diet comprising regular meals of small live and frozen foods such as bloodworm , daphnia , and artemia alongside good quality dried flakes and granules will being about optimal condition and colours .
an ideal addition to a peaceful community of riverine species alongside other schooling or shoaling cyprinids plus botiid , cobitid , nemacheilid , and balitorid loaches .
if geography isn’t an issue it can actually be combined with most peaceful fish of a size too large to be considered food and that have a bold enough disposition to not be intimidated by its size and active nature .
as always , thorough research is the best way to avoid problems when selecting a compatible fish community .
it’s a schooling species by nature so ideally 8 - 10 specimens should be purchased . maintaining it in decent numbers will not only make the fish less skittish but will result in a more effective , natural looking display .
in addition , any aggressive behaviour will normally be contained as males concentrate on maintaining their hierarchical position within the group .
adult males develop a more intense colour pattern than females and exhibit noticeable tubercules on the head when in spawning condition .
adult females tend to grow a little larger , are heavier - bodied , and less colourful .
both sexes may develop filamentous rays in the dorsal - fin , depending on population , but apparently these are not always present and shed or absorbed outside the spawning season ( k . r . devi et al . 2010 ) .
like most small cyprinids this is an egg - scattering free spawner exhibiting no parental care .
when in good condition it will spawn often and in a mature aquarium it’s possible that small numbers of fry may start to appear without intervention , although if you want to maximise yield a more controlled approach is required .
the adult group can still be conditioned together but a separate aquarium should be set up and filled with mature water .
this should be very dimly lit and the base covered with some kind of mesh of a large enough grade so that the eggs can fall through but small enough so that the adults cannot reach them . the widely available plastic ‘grass’ - type matting can also be used and works well , as does a layer of glass marbles .
alternatively filling much of the tank with a fine - leaved plant such as taxiphyllum spp . or spawning mops can also return decent results .
the water itself should be of slightly acidic to neutral ph with a temperature towards the upper end of the range suggested above , and an air - powered sponge filter or air stone ( s ) should also be included to provide oxygenation and water movement .
when the adults are well - conditioned and the females appear gravid one or two pairs should then be introduced , and spawning should take place the following morning .
an alternative is to spawn the fish in a group with half a dozen specimens of each sex being a good number , although a larger aquarium may be necessary .
in either situation the adults will probably eat the eggs given the chance and should be removed as soon as any are noticed .
these should hatch in 24 – 48 hours with the fry free swimming around 24 hours later .
they require microscopic food for the first few days until large enough to accept microworm , artemia nauplii or suchlike .
also referred to as ‘blackspot barb’ and formerly included in the genus puntius and puntius filamentosus ‘group’ of related species which also contained p . arulius , p . assimilis , p . exclamatio , p . filamentosus , p . rohani , p . rubrotinctus , p . singhala , p . srilankensis and p . tambraparniei , but all of these were moved to the new genus dawksinia by pethiyagoda et al . ( 2012 ) .
dawksinia species are defined by the following combination of characters : adult size normally 80 - 120 mm sl ; rostral barbels absent ; maxillary barbels present or absent ; last unbranched dorsal - fin ray smooth ; 4 unbranched and 8 branched dorsal - fin rays ; 3 unbranched and 5 branched anal - fin rays ; lateral line complete , with 18 - 22 scales on body ; gill rakers simple , acuminate ( not branched or laminate ) ; no antrorse predorsal spinous ray ; free uroneural present ; 4 - 5 supraneurals ; 15 precaudal and 14 - 17 caudal vertebrae ; post - epiphysial fontanelle absent ; infraorbital 3 slender , not overlapping preoperculum ; juvenile ( < 50 mm sl ) colour pattern consisting of three black bars on body , retained in adults of some species ; a black , horizontally elongate blotch on the caudal peduncle in adults .
it’s widely - distributed in kerala state , southern india and has been pictured in some older literature as puntius amphibius ( valenciennes 1842 ) .
the precise relationships within the genus are still open to question in some respects with knight et al . ( 2011 ) suggesting that members may hybridise naturally at some localities .
for example , a d . arulius - like fish ( possibly d . rubrotinctus ) co - occurs with d . assimilis in the kallada river at thenmalai , which also happens to be the type locality of d . exclamatio .
the latter is somewhat anomalous since it’s the only dawksinia species other than d . rubrotinctus to feature a ( roughly ) w - shaped mid - lateral blotch , but also has a laterally - elongated blotch on the caudal peduncle as in other genus members .
the genus puntius was for a number of years viewed as a polyphyletic catch - all containing over 100 species of small to mid - sized cyprinid until pethiyagoda et al . ( 2012 ) published a partial review covering south asian members .
it subsequently became clear that the name dravidia was preoccupied by a genus of flesh fly , therefore the replacement name haludaria was made available by pethiyagoda ( 2013 ) .
no species from indochina , china , or indonesia were included in the study meaning a significant number of former puntius are currently classed as incertae sedis , i . e . , of uncertain taxonomic placement , and this also applies to a number of south asian species of unresolved status .
they’re perhaps best referred to as ‘ puntius ‘ for the time being whereby the genus name is surrounded by quotation marks to denote its questionable usage , and that is the convention used here on sf .
kottelat , m . and h - h tan , 2011 - ichthyological exploration of freshwaters 22 ( 3 ) : 209 - 214 systomus xouthos , a new cyprinid fish from borneo , and revalidation of puntius pulcher ( teleostei : cyprinidae ) .
kurian abraham , r . , n . kelkar and a . biju kumar , 2011 - journal of threatened taxa 3 ( 3 ) : 1585 - 1593 freshwater fish fauna of the ashambu hills landscape , southern western ghats , india , with notes on some range extensions .
marcus knight , j . d . , k . rema devi , and v . atkore , 2011 - journal of threatened taxa 3 ( 4 ) : 1686 - 1693 systematic status of systomus rubrotinctus jerdon ( teleostei : cyprinidae ) with notes on the puntius arulius group of fishes .
pethiyagoda , r . , 2013 - zootaxa 3646 ( 2 ) : 199 haludaria , a replacement generic name for dravidia ( teleostei : cyprinidae ) .
pethiyagoda , r . and m . kottelat , 2005b - raffles bulletin of zoology supplement 12 : 145 - 152 the identity of the south indian barb puntius mahecola ( teleostei : cyprinidae ) .
pethiyagoda , r . and m . kottelat , 2005a - raffles bulletin of zoology supplement 12 : 127 - 144 a review of the barbs of the puntius filamentosus group ( teleostei : cyprinidae ) of southern india and sri lanka .
pethiyagoda , r . , m . meegaskumbura , and k . maduwage , 2012 - ichthyological exploration of freshwaters 23 ( 1 ) : 69 - 95 a synopsis of the south asian fishes referred to puntius ( pisces : cyprinidae ) .
raju thomas , k . , c . r . biju , c . r . ajithkumar and m . j . george , 2000 - journal of the bombay natural history society 97 ( 3 ) : 443 - 446 fish fauna of idukki and neyyar wildlife sanctuaries southern kerala , india .
raju thomas , k . , m . j . george , and c . r . biju , 2002 - journal of the bombay natural history society 99 ( 1 ) : 47 - 53 freshwater fishes of southern kerala with notes on the distribution of endemic and endangered species .
rema devi , k . , t . j . indra , and j . d . marcus knight , 2010 - journal of threatened taxa 2 ( 9 ) : 1121 - 1129 puntius rohani ( teleostei : cyprinidae ) , a new species of barb in the puntius filamentosus group from the southern western ghats of india .
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the nonindigenous occurrences section of the nas species profiles has a new structure . the section is now dynamically updated from the nas database to ensure that it contains the most current and accurate information . occurrences are summarized in table 1 , alphabetically by state , with years of earliest and most recent observations , and the tally and names of drainages where the species was observed . the table contains hyperlinks to collections tables of specimens based on the states , years , and drainages selected . references to specimens that were not obtained through sighting reports and personal communications are found through the hyperlink in the table 1 caption or through the individual specimens linked in the collections tables .
asia . india , sri lanka , burma , and possibly thailand ( talwar and jhingran 1992 ) .
axelrod , h . r . , w . e . burgess , n . pronek , and j . g . walls . 1985 . dr . axelrod ' s atlas of freshwater aquarium fishes . tropical fish hobbyist publications , inc . , neptune city , nj .
devick , w . s . 1991a . disturbances and fluctuations in the wahiawa reservoir ecosystem . project f - 14 - r - 15 , job 4 , study i . division of aquatic resources , hawaii department of land and natural resources .
devick , w . s . 1991b . patterns of introductions of aquatic organisms to hawaiian freshwater habitats . pages 189 - 213 in new directions in research , management and conservation of hawaiian freshwater stream ecosystems . proceedings of the 1990 symposium on freshwater stream biology and fisheries management , division of aquatic resources , hawaii department of land and natural resources .
menon , a . g . k . 1999 . check list - fresh water fishes of india . records of zoological survey of india , miscellaneous publication , occasional paper 175 : 1 - 366 .
mundy , b . c . 2005 . fishes of the hawaiian archipelago . bishop museum bulletins in zoology , number 6 .
pethiyagoda , r . , and m . kottelat . 2005 . a review of the barbs of the puntius filamentosus group ( teleostei : cyprinidae ) of southern india and sri lanka . raffles bulletin of zoology supplement 12 : 127 - 144 .
pethiyagoda , r . , m . meegaskumbura , and k . maduwage . 2012 . a synopsis of the south asians fishes referred to puntius ( pisces : cyprinidae ) . ichthyological exploration of freshwaters 23 ( 1 ) : 69 - 95 .
talwar , p . k . , and a . g . jhingran . 1991 . inland fishes of india and adjacent countries . aa balkema , rotterdam , the netherlands .
weliange , w . s . , and u . s . amarasinghe . 2003 . seasonality in dietary shifts in size - structured freshwater fish assemblages in three reservoirs of sri lanka . environmental biology of fishes 68 : 269 - 282 .
yamamoto , m . n . , and a . w . tagawa . 2000 . hawaii ' s native and exotic freshwater animals . mutual publishing , honolulu , hi .
this information is preliminary or provisional and is subject to revision . it is being provided to meet the need for timely best science . the information has not received final approval by the u . s . geological survey ( usgs ) and is provided on the condition that neither the usgs nor the u . s . government shall be held liable for any damages resulting from the authorized or unauthorized use of the information .
the data represented on this site vary in accuracy , scale , completeness , extent of coverage and origin . it is the user ' s responsibility to use these data consistent with their intended purpose and within stated limitations . we highly recommend reviewing metadata files prior to interpreting these data .
citation information : u . s . geological survey . [ 2018 ] . nonindigenous aquatic species database . gainesville , florida . accessed [ 7 / 9 / 2018 ] .
contact us if you are using data from this site for a publication to make sure the data are being used appropriately and for potential co - authorship if warranted . for queries involving fish , please contact pam fuller . for queries involving invertebrates , contact amy benson .
typical tank setup : a well planted aquarium with rock work and driftwood / bogwood . plants will give the weaker individuals a place to hide , until the pecking order of the school is established . plenty of open swimming space is required as the denison barb is always on the move and schooling .
compatibility : this fish needs to be kept in schools . the larger the school the better with 6 fish a good minimum amount . if kept in smaller schools the weaker individuals will be harassed continuously by the more aggressive individuals until they die .
feeding : omnivorous . they should be fed a varied diet of flakes , small pellets , frozen and live foods such as daphnia and brine shrimp . blood worms and brown worms can also be fed as a treat , but do not feed worms very often as they can cause bloat .
sexing : adult males develop a more intense colour pattern than females and exhibit noticeable tubercules on the head when in spawning condition . adult females tend to grow a little larger , are heavier - bodied , and less colourful .
breeding : like most small cyprinids this is an egg - scattering free spawner exhibiting no parental care .
additional information : excellent addition to the community aquarium if you are looking for a schooling species however should be kept in groups of at least 6 , ideally 10 or more to encourage this natural behaviour .
males are larger and have a
filamented
dorsal fin , an elongated spike on their dorsal fin . they also develop small white spots around their nose when they ' re spawning .
this fish prefers a laterally long spacious tank , minimum 4ft , with lots of open swimming room .
typical barb in shape , large iridescent green / blue / silver scales , with a large spot on the flanks towards the tail . tail is a scissor shape and tipped with black and red bands . males have an extended dorsal spike .
has been produced back in 1970s . the hybrids are fertile , unlike most other
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occurs in clear streams , lakes and ponds ( ref . 41236 ) . inhabits lowland rivers and also estuaries , reservoirs and marshes ( ref . 55036 ) .
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barbs have long been popular among aquarists , yet most of the species we know best are among the smaller members of the group . that is as it should be , because most aquariums are less than 75 gallons ( 284 liters ) in capacity , and smaller species are the best choices for those tanks . but small barbs can certainly be maintained by those with tanks of 75 gallons ( 284 liters ) or more , and many look great in large schools .
big tanks , though , offer additional possibilities , including a few species whose adult size may make you think they’d be good choices for smaller tanks but whose activity level means they do best in larger tanks . this month we’ll rate the top 10 barbs that are suitable only for tanks of at least 75 gallons ( 284 liters ) . some of these species will be old favorites , but others will be chosen from the numerous barbs that have reached the hobby in the last decade .
and b . altus are two species that are regularly sold as tinfoil barbs . tinfoil barbs have to be on the list because they’re the first fish most people think of when talk turns to larger barbs .
as young fish , it can be difficult to tell the two species apart . b . altus is frequently sold as the red - tail tinfoil barb , but that won’t always hold up as an indicator . by the time the fish have reached 4 to 5 inches ( 10 to 12 . 5 cm ) in length , the differences become more apparent in wild - type fish . b . schwanenfeldii have black lines on each lobe of the caudal fin ; b . altus does not . in addition , b . schwanenfeldii has a body color that is clearly silver while that of b . altus is more golden .
why the proviso regarding natural color pattern , you ask ? because there are captive - bred forms that are more golden in color , and i suspect they represent a hybrid between the two species . at the end of the day , does it matter which species you have ? well , it might .
while most b . schwanenfeldii will not exceed 12 inches ( 30 cm ) in length in an aquarium , that is still several inches longer than b . altus , which seldom exceeds 8 inches ( 20 cm ) . the potential for size in b . schwanenfeldii , is , however , much greater . while i haven’t seen them with my own eyes , i have heard of breeder tinfoil barbs at farms in florida that exceed 20 inches ( 50 . 75 cm ) .
regardless of species , tinfoils are active , boisterous fish that are suitable for only the largest of home aquariums . they make wonderful tankmates for any fish not bothered by their activity level . they will eat any and all commonly available prepared foods and will also eat most commonly fed vegetables such as romaine lettuce , bok choy , and other leafy greens along with zucchini , broccoli , etc . as you may have surmised , they will also view any aquatic plants as their own personal salad bar .
i must admit i was very tempted to rank hypsibarbus wetmorei much higher on the list but didn’t due to its 10 - inch ( 25 - cm ) size . it is one of my favorite fishes , but it has some drawbacks that make it less than a perfect species for many hobbyists .
apart from size , the biggest negative is that it likes plants as much as most planted tank enthusiasts ; unfortunately , it likes them on the menu , and has no appreciation for the aesthetics of a planted aquarium . lemon - fin barbs , in fact , like plants so much that they’ll even eat anubias .
on the plus side , h . wetmorei is completely peaceful . while i would expect them to eat any fish small enough to fit into their mouths , they won’t bother anything too big to be eaten . when kept in an unplanted tank with plenty of swimming room , this species makes a very striking addition . the tight school is always on the move , and their silvery bodies are real eye - catchers , with the scales edged in black and the bright yellow fins .
interestingly , juveniles start out with a rather elongated body shape , but as they grow the body depth increases until they are approximately the same shape as tinfoil barbs . their speed and durability make them an excellent dither fish for many larger cichlids and a good tankmate for most medium - size cichlids .
while not common in american pet shops , desmopuntius johorensis is available regularly from exporters in asia . the color pattern is rather subtle , which probably makes it less popular than it should be . despite the lack of colors , the pattern is attractive and this species is particularly hardy .
it is plant safe and does well with fishes of a similar size and temperament . i’ve seen one or two individuals that were approaching 5 inches ( 12 . 5 cm ) in length , but most don’t exceed 4 inches ( 10 cm ) , so a school of five to 10 will fit nicely in any aquarium of at least 75 gallons . most older aquarium literature refers to the lined barb as puntius ( or barbus ) lineatus , but that is a different and smaller species .
an old - time favorite , barbodes lateristriga is still readily available from breeders in asia , but it is not as commonly seen in american pet shops as it once was . this is unfortunate because its 7 - inch ( 18 - cm ) size makes it a much better choice for many aquariums than the more popular tinfoil barbs .
like the tinfoils , b . lateristriga is active and outgoing . its very nature may intimidate shy fishes , so its tankmates should be chosen with care . it will nibble soft - leaved plants , but java ferns , anubias and similar species will typically go untouched .
the color pattern consists of a silver body with several vertical black stripes in the anterior portion of the body , with a horizontal black stripe that runs from the base of the caudal fin to the mid - body , forming a t shape with the mid - body vertical bar . when you add in the other vertical bar , the pattern is reminiscent of a spanner , or wrench , as well .
i’ve only seen the extended filaments on males but have read that they can also be present on females . their presence may indicate that the spawning season has arrived .
adult males from some locations can develop a fair amount of red on the body , while others sport the more traditional brassy gold . the brassy gold color is more vibrant on the dorsal region and can fade to white on the ventral region . males are somewhat more colorful than females . other aspects of the color pattern include an elongated black spot on the caudal peduncle and red and black spots on each lobe of the caudal fin .
you’re likely wondering about the scientific name , so let’s start there . i’ve always known this fish as puntius everetti . after all , that is the scientific name listed in every book i own or have seen that includes the clown barb .
with all the revisions that have been made to puntius recently , i checked the current name to see whether the genus had been changed . i looked at fishbase . org , where i found it listed as p . everetti . while looking up another species on urltoken i saw a reference to clown barbs as barbodes dunckeri .
faced with a choice , my inclination is to follow the name listed on seriouslyfish . com , which updates its nomenclature more rapidly than fishbase . org . these are the two go - to sites on the web for fish information and they usually agree , but sometimes situations like this arise . as it turns out , the true p . everetti hails from the sarawak region of borneo , where it is only rarely collected for the aquarium hobby .
as for b . dunckeri , the clown barb has been a personal favorite ever since the first time i kept them back in the 1970s . its coloration is subtle yet attractive , with a pinkish body marked with black spots and bars that are overlain with a blue sheen and orange to red fins .
my personal experience is that they work well in planted aquariums , although not all hobbyists have found that to be true . they may nibble a bit on soft - leaved plants , but i don’t feel that they do enough damage to justify leaving them out , unless the bulk of the aquascaping will feature such plants . while they are frequently listed as growing to 6 inches ( 16 cm ) in length , i’ve never seen one that exceeded 5 inches ( 12 . 5 cm ) .
this is a gregarious species that does best when kept in a sizable school although it can be kept in groups as small as two specimens . a tank that features some driftwood , along with tough - leaved plants and a large open area for swimming is ideal .
tankmates can include medium to large gouramis , larger rasboras , and most of the larger rainbows . robust tetras , such as bleeding hearts , also work quite well . medium - size cichlids are another possibility , as long as they are not too aggressive .
was not named after j . r . r . tolkien’s fictional kingdom of rohan but rather after rohan pethiyagoda , in recognition of his work on the freshwater fishes of india and sri lanka .
the main thing to know about d . rohani is that it is absolutely gorgeous ! most of the time males feature a gold upper part of the body with each scale outlined in a golden - green pattern , all overlain with a green sheen , and a whitish lower body . where these colors meet on the caudal peduncle is a horizontal black spot in the shape of a teardrop . the caudal and anal fins are red , and the dorsal has black spines .
when teardrop barbs are in spawning condition , all the colors intensify and the lower cheeks and gill covers also turn red . this is truly a sight to behold , and because the rohan barb grows to only about 4½ inches ( 11 cm ) in length , it is a sight that anyone with a tank at least 75 gallons ( 285 liters ) or larger can experience .
this species is still a bit expensive , but you should try to buy as large a school as possible . your investment will pay dividends every time you look at your aquarium . to truly show its best colors , keep d . rohani in a planted aquarium with other robust , active species .
is frequently imported and sold as puntius mahecola , but that is a smaller and not closely related species . one of the most beautiful species in the ranking , d . assimilis makes a wonderful addition to planted aquariums of at least 75 gallons ( 284 liters ) .
the blue line under the eyes leads to the common name . the snout is red in males from the lips up along the forehead to behind the eyes , where the red becomes a scale coloration in a pattern leading back to the almond - shaped black spot on the caudal peduncle .
many of the upper body scales have red centers , with the rest of the scale a luminous gold . the lower body is white . the caudal fin has a black crescent that ends in a red dot , with a black dot closer to the tip of each lobe . the dorsal and pectoral fins are red , and the anal and ventral fins are white .
the mascara barb grows to just over 4 inches ( 10 cm ) and is extremely active . it will be happiest in a large group , and its colors will make it a constantly moving , visual focal point of any display .
there is a lot of confusion regarding the description and status of sahyadria denisonii . it has variously been included in the genera puntius , barbus , labeo , and crossocheilus . it is my belief that there is actually a species complex , because size and color pattern are highly variable . while most individuals won’t exceed 5 inches ( 12 cm ) or so in length , others will exceed 12 inches ( 32 cm ) . the amount of red on the body is highly variable , as is the yellow in the fins .
fortunately for the hobbyist , the most colorful individuals seem to be those that grow to 5 inches ( 12 cm ) in length . it may be that the larger form is s . chalakkudiensis and that the smaller fish that are more common in the hobby now are s . denisonii , and these may be the only two species involved .
a great aspect of this fish is that it does not eat plants . a school of roseline sharks sporting their best colors in a large planted aquarium is a sight no aquarist will soon forget .
due to their high activity level and preference to be kept in large schools , roseline sharks are best suited to aquariums of at least 75 gallons ( 284 liters ) , with larger tanks being preferred . tankmates can include any species that is large enough not to be eaten and outgoing enough to compete with the roseline sharks at feeding time .
between this article and my previous survey of the smaller barbs ( tfh , june 2014 ) , i hope i’ve shown you that there is a barb for every tank . no matter the size of your tank , there is a barb that is well suited to occupying it . with the exception of highly predatory and highly aggressive species , there is a barb that can be a tankmate to almost every fish you might wish to keep .
consider a barb for your next aquarium and you’ll be rewarded with a colorful , energetic fish of which you will likely grow increasingly fond of as time goes by .


mirapinna esau , the hairyfish , is a species of flabby whalefish only known from the atlantic ocean from near the azores .

formerly considered a member of the no longer recognized family mirapinnidae , this species is the only known member of its genus .

mirapinna esau

hairyfish , also known as mirapinna esau , lodsilungur , fur - bearing trout .
froese , rainer and pauly , daniel , eds . ( 2012 ) .
mirapinna esau
in fishbase . august 2012 version .
mirapinna esau bertelsen and marshall 1956 ( hairy fish ) named after esau , a hairy character of the bible . the fish has curious growths all over its body , making it look like it is covered in fur .
( after jacob ' s hairy brother , esau , in the bible ) .
why do you think this makes no realistic sense , or that the hair is nuisance ? you should look up the mirapinna esau , which is a furry fish .
scientific synonyms and common names mirapinna esau bertelsen & marshall , 1956 synonyms : mirapinna esau bertelsen & marshall , 1956 , dana rep . , ( 42 ) : 4 - 6 , fig . 1 - 2 , and 12 ( north atlantic 500 miles north of the azores , 47° 20 ' n . , 22° 30 ' w . ) . holotype : zmuc . common names : none
the specific name is from the character esau in the bible , who is stated to be a hairy man ( genesis 27 : 11 ) .
recent sightings : hairyfish sightings are reported almost annually by fishermen , but most of these sightings have not been verified . to complicate identification , scientists now believe that the hairyfish captured in 1911 was not a unique species , but only a juvenile whalefish , not a unique species , and discontinued use of the genus mirapinna . however , this change in taxonomic description does not explain the freshwater fur - bearing fish sighted in ontario , maine and montana .
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achelousaurus horneri sampson , 1995 ( ceratopsian dinosaur ) . this hornless ceratopsian evolved from horned ancestors . it was named for achelous , a greek river god whose horn was broken in a battle with heracles . the species name ( for paleontologist jack horner ) replaces the lost horn . [ j . vert . paleo . 15 ( 4 ) ]
acherontia atropos linnaeus , a . lachesis fabricius 1798 , and a . styx westwood , 1847 ( deathhead hawk moth ) acheron and styx are rivers in the greek underworld . atropos and lachesis are two of the fates .
acteon montfort , 1810 ( gastropod ) named after the hunter actaeon of greek myth . the snails are predatory .
anapachydiscus terminus ward ( late cretaceous ammonite )
this was the last ammonite ever to have evolved on earth .
named for terminus , the roman god of boundaries .
arethusa ( swamp pink ) this orchid grows in aquatic environments in eastern north america . named for a greek nymph whom artemis transformed into a spring so that she might not suffer the passions of a river god .
argonauta argo linnaeus ( paper nautilus ) named for jason ' s ship and its crew .
asklepia liebke , 1938 ( ground beetle ) named after asklepius , greek god of healing , for unknown reasons .
astraptes augeas brower 2010 ( skipper butterfly ) named for the augean stables , whose cleaning was hercules ' fifth labor .
the name recognizes the enormous throughput of the acg barcoding endeavour and the resultant labour required of systematists .
[ syst . biodivers . 8 : 486 ]
athene boie , 1822 ( burrowing owl ) the owl was athene ' s sacred bird .
atropoides werman , 1992 ( jumping pitviper ) named after atropos , the fate which cuts off a person ' s life . there are also numerous species with specific epithet atropos , including the adders bitis atropos linnaeus , 1758 and clotho atropos gray , 1849 ( a synonym for bitis inornata ( smith , 1838 ) ) .
cassiopeia andromeda ( eschscholz ) ( upside - down sea jelly ) andromeda was the daughter of cassiopeia in greek myth .
cloacina von linstow 1898 ( nematode ) found only in the stomachs of kangaroos ; named after cloacina , the roman goddess of the sewers .
cymodoce , dynamene , eurydice , jaera , janira , limnoria ( isopods ) all of these , described by leach in 1814 , are names of nereids , probably taken from the preface of fabulae by hyginus . the first nereid isopod , however , was ligia fabricius , 1798 .
daedalosaurus carroll , 1978 ( late permian gliding reptile from madagascar ) and icarosaurus colbert , 1970 ( upper triassic gliding reptile from new jersey ) , after daedalus and icarus .
icarops hand et al . , 1998 ( miocene bat from australia )
from icaros , the mythological greek who flew towards the sun , in reference to the ancient mystacinid that flew eastwards from australia to new zealand .
[ j . paleo . , 538 - 540 ] .
damocles lund , 1986 ( carboniferous shark ) the males had an elaborate projection from the back that ended poised over its head .
glaucus forster , 1777 ( nudibranch ) named after a prophetic sea god , a fisherman who turned immortal upon eating a magical herb .
gorgonocephalus medusae ( basket star ) the basket star looks like a mass of serpents . medusa was the most famous of the gorgons , which had serpents for hair .
hadoprion ( hinde , 1879 ) ( fossil polychaete ) named after hades . ( the
- prion
means
saw ,
after the fossil ' s toothed nature . )
geophilus hadesi stoev , et al . 2015 and geophilus persephones foddai & minelli , 1999 ( cave centipedes )
hydraena nike jäch 1995 ( beetle ) named for nike , greek goddess of victory , because samothraki , the location of the beetle , is also the source of a superb statue of nike . [ ann . naturhist . mus . wien 97b : 177 - 190 . ]
kerberos solé et al . 2015 ( eocene hyaenodont ) named after cerberus ( kerberos in greek ) , the three - headed dog that guarded the gates of hades . [ plos one 10 ( 9 ) ]
thermarces cerberus rosenblatt and cohen , 1986 ( eelpout fish ) from the galapagos rift vents .
lachesis daudin , 1803 ( bushmaster ) this largest of pit vipers is named after the fate who apportions each individual ' s lifespan .
merope newman , 1838 ( earwigfly ) merope is one of the pleaides sisters .
mercuriceratops gemini ryan et al . , 2014 ( cretaceous ceratopsid dinosaur ) named after mercury because ornamentation on its head resembles the wings on the head of the roman god , and gemini because two almost identical specimens were found .
moira atropis and m . clotho ( heart urchins ) in greek myth , the moirae are the three fates , named atropis , clotho , and lachesis .
myotis midastactus moratelli & wilson , 2014 ( bat ) the specific epithet is
midas touch
latinized , alluding to the mythical greek king whose touch turned everything into gold , referring to the bat ' s unique golden fur .
nemertes cuvier , 1817 ( sea worm ) named for the sea nereid nemertes , wisest of her sisters .
ouroborus stanley et al . , 2011 ( armadillo lizard ) the ouroboros is an ancient symbol of a serpent or dragon devouring its own tail . the lizard , when threatened , grabs its tail in its mouth and curls up .
papio hamadryas ( hamadryas baboon ) hamadryads , in greek myth , were nymphs whose lives began and ended with a particular tree . these baboons live in rocky and dry areas and rarely climb trees .
pectinivalva ( casanovula ) minotaurus hoare , 2013 ( moth ) named for the minotaur because its flattened antennae resemble horns . [ zookeys 278 ]
phoenix ( date palm ) probably named not after the mythical bird , but for a king who fought with the greeks at troy and is credited with bringing the first date palms to greece .
chalicodoma pluto smith , 1860 ( world ' s largest bee , from the rainforests of the moluccas ) the type specimen was collected by alfred r . wallace . only one other specimen was found before 1990 , when several nests were found in termite nests .
proteus laurenti 1768 ( blind cave salamander ) europe ' s only troglobitic chordate . named for a greek sea god , the son of poseidon . there is also amoeba proteus ( amoeba ) , so named because proteus had the ability to change form .
sisyphus latreille , 1807 ( dung beetle ) named after a king condemned in hades to roll an immense boulder uphill , only to have it inevitably break free and roll down again , this beetle makes and rolls large balls of dung with greater success .
sterculius ( rove beetle , or plant ) sterculius was the greek god of the latrine , and rove beetles are often found associated with dung . sterculius is also a genus of plant , many species of which emit a dung - like odor from flowers or leaves . its family , sterculiaceae , also includes chocolate and cola .
talos zanno et al . , 2011 ( birdlike theropod dinosaur ) named for a winged bronze giant of greek mythology , which could run extremely fast and which succumbed to an ankle wound . the name is also a pun on
talon
.
tethys linnaeus , 1767 ( sea slug ) tethys was both sister and wife of oceanus .
titanus giganteus ( l ) ( cerambycid beetle ) the world ' s largest ( but not heaviest ) beetle .
upupa antaios olson , 1975 ( extinct giant hoopoe ) named for the libyan giant antaios ( or antaeus ) , who wrestled travelers and used their skulls to decorate a temple to his father poseidon . drawing strength from the ground , he was invincible until heracles held him up .
urania fabricius , 1807 ( moth ) diurnal moths ironically named after the muse of astronomy .
venus dione linnaeus , 1758 ( clam ) named after venus , goddess of love , and dione , mother of her greek equivalent aphrodite , due to the clam ' s resemblance to human female genetalia . ( its new genus is hysteroconcha meaning
womb shell
. )
zeus olympius minter & diam . ( 1987 ) ( fungus ) discovered on mt . olympus . the expedition which discovered it also found , growing on the remains of a z . olympius , another flask - shaped fungus in the genus nectria ( alas , derived from the greek for
swimmer
, not from nectar , the drink of the gods ) , which was named nectria ganymede , after the youth taken to heaven to be zeus ' s cupbearer .
aegirosaurus bardet & fernandez , 2000 ( upper jurassic ichthyosaur ) named for aegir , god of the oceans and seashores .
asgard archaea
- a superphylum of archaea with some genetic similarities to eukaryotes . lokiarchaeota was the first phylum proposed ; thorarchaeota , odinarchaeota , and heimdallarchaeota have been added to the group .
asgardaspira wagner 1999 ( snail ) it is very loosely coiled , with a serpent - like look . [ smithsonian contrib . to paleobiology 88 : 1 - 154 ]
eoconodon nidhoggi van valen , 1978 ( paleocene mammal ) named for the nordic corpse - eating underworld serpent ( and found in purgatory hill ) .
midgardia downey , 1972 ( starfish ) from the midgard serpent ,
which lies at the bottom of the sea and encircles the earth .
midgardia xandaros has the longest arms ( 67 cm . ) of any known starfish . [ proc . biol . soc . wash . 84 : 422 ]
ragnarok van valen , 1978 ( paleocene mammal , synonym of baioconodon gazin , 1941 ) for norse end times ,
doom of the gods .
scutisorex thori stanley et al . , 2013 ( hero shrew ) hero shrews are unusually strong . [ biol . lett . 9 ( 5 ) ]
balaur csiki et al . , 2010 ( theropod dinosaur ) a balaur is a dragon - like creature from romanian myth .
sampo öpik , 1933 ( ordovician brachiopod ) named for the three - sided magic mill that in finnish mythology created flour , salt , and gold .
zalmoxes nopsca , 1899 ( cretaceous iguanodontid ) named for the dacian supreme deity zalmoxis .
zilantophis jasinski & moscato ( miocene or eocene snake ) named after zilant , a winged serpent in tatar mythology , because of wing - shaped projections on the side of the fossil ' s vertebrae .
angelica archangelica linnaeus ( umbellifer ) traditionally said to bloom on may 8 , the day of st . michael the archangel .
anzu lamanna et al . , 2014 ( theropod dinosaur ) named for a feathered demon in akkadian and sumerian mythology .
livyatan lambert et al . 2010 ( fossil sperm whale ) . originally named leviathan , but that name was junior homonym ; german paleontologist albert koch used it for an american mastadon skeleton in 1841 , which name was itself invalid as mammut had priority . lambert et al . renamed the fossil whale livyatan , from the original hebrew spelling . [ nature 466 : 105 , 1134 ]
ifrita rothschild 1898 ( blue - capped babbler of new guinea ) from arabic ifrit ' djinn or spirit ' .
ipomopsis sancti - spiritus ( polemoniaceae ) holy ghost ipomopsis , an endangered plant .
ziziphus spina - christi ( l . ) ( spiny shrub or tree ) christ ' s crown - of - thorns is traditionally said to have been made from this plant .
beelzebufo evans , jones and krause , 2008 ( cretaceous frog from madagascar ) nicknamed
the frog from hell
by the researchers .
diabloceratops kirkland et al . , 2010 ( cretaceous ceratopsian dinosaur ) its horns and neck shield evoke images of the devil .
halicephalobus mephisto borgonie et al . , 2011 ( nematode ) the deepest known land animal , discovered 2 . 2 miles underground .
satan hubbs & bailey , 1947 ( catfish ) a blind unpigmented fish from artesian wells 1000 - 1250 feet underground , near san antonio , tx .
satan eurystomus signifies ' wide - mouthed prince of darkness . '
[ occasional papers mus . zool . , u . of mich . 499 : 1 - 15 . ]
satanoperca lilith kullander & ferreira 1988 ( amazonian cichlid ) there were also s . daemon and s . jurupari ( the latter named after a tupi forest demon ) , but these have been moved to the genus geophagus . [ cybium 12 ( 4 ) : 344 ; ann . wien . mus . naturges . 2 : 389 , 392 ]
solidago satanica lunell , 1911 ( goldenrod ) its type specimen came from devil ' s lake , north dakota . ( it is now probably synonymized with another species . ) [ american midland naturalist 2 : 58 ]
moloch gray , 1841 ( thorny devil lizard ) named after a canaanite god as depicted by milton .
ninurta stanley et al . , 2011 ( blue - spotted girdled lizard ) ninurta was the sumerian and akkadian god of , among other things , rain and the south wind . the lizard ' s genus refers to its occurrence along the cool , moist south coast of south africa . [ mol . phylo . evo . 58 : 53 ]
stygimoloch galton & sues , 1983 ( pachycephalosaur ) from
styx
, for the hell creek formation ;
moloch
, after a canaanite god .
zu walters & fitch , 1960 ( ribbonfish ) zu was an lesser akkadian deity .
abydosaurus ( brachiosaur ) described from a fossilized skull and cervical vertebrae , it is named for the town abydos in egypt , where osiris ' s head and neck were buried .
ammonoidea ( ammonite , fossil cephalopod ) named after the egyptian god amun ( ammon ) , who was represented by a ram , because the shells resemble ram ' s horns - - in particular , the horn of ammon , the cornucopia from roman myth .
tasmaniosoma anubis mesibov 2015 ( millipede ) so named because the tip of the male genitalia resembles popular depictions of the jackal - headed god . [ zookeys 488 : 31 ]
kheper aegyptiorum latreille , 1827 ( dung beetle ) named after khepera , god of the rising sun ; the dung beetle is his emblem .
thalassodromeus sethi kellner & campos , 2002 ( cretaceous pterosaur ) named after the egyptian god seth because of the shape of its large crest . ( but probably the god amun , whose crown is a closer match , was intended . )
jobaria sereno et al , 1999 ( cretaceous sauropod ) from the niger republic ; named for
jobar
, a creature from tuareg mythology .
azhdarcho nessov , 1984 ( cretaceous uzbekistan pterosaur ) named for an uzbek dragon .
erlikosaurus perle , 1980 ( mongolian therizinosaur ) erlik is the siberian / mongolian god of the dead .
indricotherium ( oligo - miocene rhinoceros ) this , the largest terrestrial mammal , was named for indrik , the lord of the animals in russian folklore . ironically , indricotherium was hornless , while lord indrik was horned .
samrukia naish et al . , 2012 ( cretaceous pterosaur ) named after samruk , a kazakh mythical bird .
sordes sharov , 1971 ( jurassic kazakhstan pterosaur ) named for a russian demon .
apsaravis norell & clark , 2001 ( fossil bird ) ' apsara ' ( sanskrit ) , winged consorts prominent in buddhist and hindu art , plus ' avis ' ( gk ) , bird .
bramatherium falconer , 1845 ( miocene giraffid ) , vishnutherium ( fossil giraffid ) , sivatherium falconer & cautley , 1832 ( pleistocene giraffid ) named for the hindu gods brahma , vishnu , and shiva , the creator , sustainer , and destroyer . all these giraffids are from india .
citipati clark , norell & barsbold , 2001 ( oviraptor dinosaur ) citipati are funeral demons from buddhist tradition , often represented by two dancing skeletons , representing the impermanence of worldly things .
dibasterium durgae briggs et al . , 2012 ( fossil horseshoe crab ) named for the hindu goddess durga , who has many arms . ( the genus name refers to double limbs . ) [ pnas 109 : 15702 ]
garudimimus barsbold , 1981 ( theropod dinosaur )
garuda mimic
; garuda is the hindu prince of birds and national symbol of indonesia .
megalara garuda kimsey & ohl , 2012 ( wasp ) from sulawesi , indonesia . [ zookeys 177 : 49 ]
lakhsmia venusta ( thwaites ) veldk . , 2008 ( grass from sri lanka ) lakshmi is the hindu goddess of beauty , charm , prosperity , and other positive things . the specific epithet derives from the roman goddess of beauty , venus . [ rheedea 18 ]
protogryllus lakshmi pérez - de la fuente et al . , 2012 ( jurassic cricket ) here , lakshmi ' s influence over wealth and prosperity is the inspiration .
stegodon ganesa ( pliocene elephant ) named for ganesa , the elephant - headed hindu god of wisdom and art . it was the subject of the world ' s first postage stamp featuring a reconstructed prehistoric animal ( in india , jan . 1951 ) .
wathondara wang et al . , 2015 ( cretaceous scale insect ) named for an earth goddess of buddhist mythology . [ elife 4 : e05447 ]
yamaceratops makovicky & norell , 2006 ( mongolian ceratopsian dinosaur ) named for yama , a tibetan buddhist deity .
aorun choiniere et al . 2013 ( theropod dinosaur ) named for ao run , the dragon king of the west sea , from the mandarin epic journey to the west .
izanami galil & clark , 1994 ( matutine crab ) named for izanami , the primordial goddess in japanese shinto mythology .
mahakala turner et al . , 2007 named for one of eight protector deities of tibetan buddhism .
tara peckham & peckham , 1886 ( jumping spider ) named for the buddhist saviour - goddess , the feminine counterpart of the bodhisattva .
arkarua gehling , 1987 ( ediacaran echinoderm ) named after arkaru , a giant snake from the mythology of the adnajamathana people of the central flinders ranges .
kakuru molnar & pledge , 1980 ( theropod dinosaur )
rainbow serpent
from south australia . it is the only known dinosaur preserved as opal .
kiwa 2006 (
yeti crab
) named for the polynesian goddess of crustaceans .
mauisaurus hector 1874 ( plesiosaur from new zealand ) after maui , a demi - god of maori mythology .
obdurodon tharalkooschild pian et al . , 2013 ( miocene platypus ) the specific epithet comes from a myth from south australia ( from the dieyerie people ? ) in which a duck named tharalkoo is ravished by a water rat and gives birth to the platypus .
pseudionella akuaku boyko & williams , 2001 ( isopod ( crustacea : isopoda : bopyroidea ) parasitic on hermit crabs ) named after a polynesian spirit known to pinch children .
quinkana molnar , 1981 ( extinct crocodylian ) named after the quinkans , a legendary folk often depicted in australian rock art .
tangaroa lehtinen , 1967 ( tahitian uloborid spider ) named for the tahitian god of the sea .
taniwhasaurus hector 1874 ( mosasaur from new zealand ) a taniwha is a dragon - like giant lizard of maori myth .
tinirau swartz , 2012 ( devonian fish ) named for tinirau , a polynesian god , gaurdian of fish .
wonambi smith , 1976 ( extinct snake ) this giant snake takes its name from a south australian aboriginal name for the rainbow serpent .
woolungasaurus persson 1964 ( plesiosaur from australia ) after the woolunga , a reptile - like beast from aborigine mythology .
xevioso lehtinen , 1967 ( amaurobiid spider ) named for a west african god of storm .
yhi barnard & thomas , 1991 ( amphipod ) named for an australian ( specifically , karraur ) goddess of light and creation .
yurlunggur scanlon , 1992 ( middle miocene madtsoiid python ) named for the australian rainbow serpent yurlunggur .
alabagrus coatlicue , a . ixtilton , a . mixcoatl , and a . xolotl ( braconid wasps ) named for aztec deities .
aztlanolagus russell & harris , 1986 . ( aztlán rabbit , a pliocene / pleistocene lagomorph ) . aztlán is the legendary place of origin of the nahua peoples as recorded in the mythology of the aztecs and other nahua groups . some traditions place it in the border regions of the southwestern united states and adjacent northern mexico .
eurhopalothrix hunhau , e . mabuya , e . xibalba and e . zipacna longino , 2013 ( ants ) all names relate to the mayan underworld . xibalba is name of the mayan underworld . hunhau is a mayan death god and a lord of the underworld . zipacna is a crocodile - like demon , and mabuya another demon . [ zootaxa 3693 : 101 ]
mammillaria huitzilopochtli hunt , 1979 ( mexican cactus ) named for huitzilopochtli , an aztec war god .
tlaloc alvarez & carranza , 1951 ( central american killifish ) named for the aztec rain and fertility deity .
quetzalcoatlus northropi lawson , 1975 ( texas pterosaur ) named after an aztec god and an aircraft designer . the pterosaur was as large as an ultra - light plane .
aleiodes mannegishii fortier , 2009 ( braconid wasp )
refers to tricksters called the mannegishi , with large eyes , mythical ' little people ' described by the cree people .
aleiodes selu fortier , 2009 ( braconid wasp )
refers to the cherokee corn woman , selu , and refers to the bright yellow - orange coloration of the female .
[ zootaxa 2256 ]
anhanguera campos & kellner , 1985 ( brazilian pterosaur ) named for a tupian spirit .
atopophlebia pitculya flowers , 2012 ( mayfly ) named for a mythical being which the cayapas of ecuador say lives in streams and decorates its body with yellow dye . the mayfly is yellow . [ zootaxa 3478 : 15 ]
brontotherium marsh ( oligocene ungulate ) named for the sioux mythical
thunder beast
( albeit in greek , not siouxan ) associated with the big fossils exposed by thunderstorms in the dakota badlands .
hoplias curupira oyakawa & mattox , 2009 ( wolf fish ) named after the curupira , a mischievous creature of brazilian folklore that protects the forest ; it appears as a small child with its feet turned backwards , making it difficult to follow its tracks . the fish was so named because it took almost 18 years to gather enough material for the description . [ neotrop . ichthyol . 7 : 128 ]
kelenken guillermoi bertelli et al . , 2007 ( phorusrhacid ) an extinct giant flightless carnivorous bird named after a ' fearsome spirit of the tehuelche tribe . . . represented as [ a ] giant bird of prey ' [ j . vert . paleontol . 27 : 409 ]
kokopellia cifelli , 1993 ( cretaceous mammal ) named for kokopelli , flute - playing god of the anasazi . [ pnas 90 : 9413 ]
mapinguari wiedemann , 1828 ( gigantic mydid flies ) named for an ogre of amazonian indian folklore . only three specimens are known .
sacisaurus ferigolo & langer , 2006 ( ornithischian dinosaur ) named for saci , a one - legged elf from brazilian folklore , because the fossil was missing a leg .
seitaad ( sauropodomorph dinosaur ) named for a mythological navajo beast that swallowed its prey in sand dunes , alluding to the own creature ' s death .
siats zanno & makovicky , 2013 ( theropod dinosaur ) this giant cretaceous predator discovered in utah is named after the siats ( pronounced
see - atch
) , a voracious monster of ute legend .
tapejara kellner , 1990 ( brazilian pterosaur )
the old being
from tupi mythology .
tupilakosaurus nielsen , 1954 ( fossil amphibian ) named after an inuit water spirit .
tupuxuara kellner & campos , 1989 ( pterosaur from brazil ) named for a tupian
familiar spirit
.
yawunik kootenayi aria et al . , 2015 ( cambrian predatory arthropod ) named after yawuˀnik , a sea monster from the ktunaxa ( kootenay ) creation myth , which caused such disturbance that the other animals hunted and destroyed him .
zupaysaurus arcucci & coria , 2003 ( triassic theropod ) supay ( aka zupay ) was the incan god of death and ruler of the underworld .
< < - home - - rules - - etymology - - puns - - wordplay - - gene names - - misc . - - references - - feedback - > >
latin , mirus = wonderful + latin , pinna = thorn ( ref . 45335 )
eastern atlantic : one specimen caught north of azores island ( 47°20 ' n , 22°30 ' w ) .
maturity : l m ? range ? - ? cm max length : 5 . 5 cm tl male / unsexed ; ( ref . 557 )
pelagic ( ref . 51024 ) . only known specimen was caught near the surface . feeds on copepods ( ref . 6713 ) .
wheeler , a . , 1977 . das grosse buch der fische . eugen ulmer gmbh & co . stuttgart . 356 p . ( ref . 557 )
phylogenetic diversity index ( ref . 82805 ) : pd 50 = 1 . 0000 [ uniqueness , from 0 . 5 = low to 2 . 0 = high ] .
bayesian length - weight : a = 0 . 00389 ( 0 . 00180 - 0 . 00842 ) , b = 3 . 12 ( 2 . 94 - 3 . 30 ) , in cm total length , based on all lwr estimates for this body shape ( ref . 93245 ) .
trophic level ( ref . 69278 ) : 3 . 0 ±0 . 00 se ; based on food items .
resilience ( ref . 69278 ) : high , minimum population doubling time less than 15 months ( preliminary k or fecundity . ) .
vulnerability ( ref . 59153 ) : low vulnerability ( 10 of 100 ) .
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romero , p . , 2002 . an etymological dictionary of taxonomy . madrid , unpublished .
this dictonary resides in a database and will eventually be published . etymology of names was made available to fishbase in spreadsheets . see in rms as 45335 _ romero . xls which is in spanish .
pelagic ( ref . 51024 ) . only known specimen was caught near the surface . feeds on copepods ( ref . 6713 ) .
5 . 5 cm tl ( male / unsexed ; ( ref . 557 ) )
grows to a length of 5 . 5 centimetres ( 2 . 2 in )
. little is known of the fish beyond its appearance . wheeler ( 1977 ) states that only one specimen was caught , near the sea surface , and that it was a
the generic name is from the latin ' mirus ' ( wonderful ) , ' pinna ' ( thorn ) , for the unusual fins possessed by this fish .
wheeler , a . ( 1977 ) . das grosse buch der fische . stuttgart : eugen ulmer . pp . 356 pp .
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bayesian length - weight : a = 0 . 00389 ( 0 . 00180 - 0 . 00842 ) , b = 3 . 12 ( 2 . 94 - 3 . 30 ) , in cm total length , based on all lwr estimates for this body shape ( ref .
) : 3 . 0 ±0 . 00 se ; based on food items .
) : high , minimum population doubling time less than 15 months ( preliminary k or fecundity . ) .
d 16 ; a 14 ; p 13 ; v 8 ; other characters : see family .
: only one known specimen caught north of the azores ( 47° 20 ' n , 22° 30 ' w ) . ( re - examination by author of a specimen from the pacific , referred to as this
bertelsen , e . ; marshall , n . b . 1956 . the miripinnati , a new order of teleost fishes . dana rep . , ( 42 ) : 1 - 34 , 15 fig . , i pl .
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zoologist , media consultant , and science writer , dr karl shuker is also one of the best known cryptozoologists in the world . author of such seminal works as
his many fans have been badgering him to join the blogosphere for years . the cfz blog network is proud to have finally persuaded him to do so .
, the hairy fish , whose controversial , highly unexpected zoological identity has only recently been exposed . here is its fascinating history - excerpted from my soon - to - be - published latest book ,
the year 1956 saw the description of a 2 . 5 - in - long hump - backed fish so grotesque in appearance that it required a wholly new family to accommodate it . caught many years earlier ( in june 1911 ) at the surface of the mid - atlantic about 550 miles north of the azores , this extraordinary fish seemed to be covered in hair ! closer examination , however , disclosed that its ' fur ' was really a mass of living body outgrowths ( hair , conversely , is composed of dead cells ) containing secretory cells . their function is unknown , though they may produce distasteful compounds to deter would - be predators .
if you ' d like to assist me in my ongoing crypto - investigations , even the smallest donation would be immensely appreciated . all donations are non - profit - making , going exclusively towards the updating / maintenance of my crypto - archives ' source material and other necessities that enable me to continue researching and blogging my findings right here for you on shukernature . thank you so much for your help ! - karl
“and hast thou slain the peryton ? ” - an antlered a . . .
the mermaid of haraldskaer ' s skeleton , exhibited at the danish national museum , copenhagen , in 2012 ( © danish national museum . . .
computer - generated mock - up of a black puma ( dr karl shuker ) in all the time that i have been researching and documenting creatures of cryp . . .
contemporary picture postcard depicting the infamous hexham ( allendale ) wolf , from my personal collection ( © dr karl shuker ) whe . . .
photoshopped black lion # 1 ( tumblr . com ) in recent weeks , two very stunning black lion photographs have been circulating online . one of th . . .
the iconic photograph of a . l . butts holding up a supposed giant grasshopper that he had allegedly shot dead in his apple orchard duri . . .
artistic impression of a megalodon encounter ( © william m . rebsamen ) it was only ever going to be a matter of time before shuker . . .
a full - scale animatronic yeti ( dr karl shuker ) i’m always pleased to receive an update of an ostensibly long - forgotten cryptozoologic . . .
a genuine photograph of the green anaconda eunectes murinus – the largest and most familiar of the four species of anaconda currentl . . .
john g . keulemans ' s painting of the purple macaw in lord walter rothschild ' s extinct birds ( 1907 ) famed for their gaudy plumage , . . .
over the years , certain online photos of bizarre but allegedly real entities have surfaced and resurfaced with monotonous regularity , i . . .
in accordance with title 17 usc section 107 , any copyright material on display here is under fair use without any claim of ownership or any profit accrued by the display . the material herein is for non - profit educational or criticism puposes only . notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106a , the fair use of a copyrighted work including reproduction and distribution of said material as specified in that section , for purposes of education , news reporting , commentary or criticism , scholarship or research , to persons who have expressed a prior interest in receiving such material for such purposes , is not an infringement . also : unless stated otherwise , all illustrations in shukernature blog articles that are credited to a named copyright owner plus wikipedia have been made available by the copyright owner and wikipedia for third - person use under the conditions of the creative commons licence . should any copyright holder of any of the illustrations included on shukernature not wish those illustrations to be included here , please contact me and i shall of course remove them .
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to cite this page : myers , p . , r . espinosa , c . s . parr , t . jones , g . s . hammond , and t . a . dewey . 2018 . the animal diversity web ( online ) . accessed at https : / / animaldiversity . org .
disclaimer : the animal diversity web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students . adw doesn ' t cover all species in the world , nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe . though we edit our accounts for accuracy , we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts . while adw staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable , we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control .
this material is based upon work supported by the national science foundation grants drl 0089283 , drl 0628151 , due 0633095 , drl 0918590 , and due 1122742 . additional support has come from the marisla foundation , um college of literature , science , and the arts , museum of zoology , and information and technology services .
special publication of the center for biodiversity research and information , no . 1 , vol 1 - 3
disclaimer : itis taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available , and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties . however , it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes . while every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and up - to - date information available , ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in provisions of treaties to which the united states is a party , wildlife statutes , regulations , and any applicable notices that have been published in the federal register . for further information on u . s . legal requirements with respect to protected taxa , please contact the u . s . fish and wildlife service .
wheeler , a . , 1977 . das grosse buch der fische . eugen ulmer gmbh & co . stuttgart . 356 p .
hureau , j . - c . and t . monod ( eds . ) , 1979 . supplement . check - list of the fishes of the north - eastern atlantic and of the mediterranean . p . 339 - 394 . in j . - c . hureau and th . monod ( eds . ) check - list of the fishes of the north - eastern atlantic and of the mediterranean . united nations educational scientific and cultural organization ( unesco ) , paris , france . vols 1 - 2 . 683 p .
paxton , j . , 1979 . mirapinnidae . p . 212 . in j . c . hureau and th . monod ( eds . ) check - list of the fishes of the north - eastern atlantic and of the mediterranean ( clofnam ) . unesco , paris . vol . 1 .
pihu , e . , 1979 . loomade elu 4 . köide . kalad pihu , e . 1979 . loomade elu , 4 . köide , kalad . valgus , tallinn .
asih , american society of ichthyologists and herpetologists , 1984 . ontogeny and systematics of fishes . based on an international symposium dedicated to the memory of elbert halvor ahlstrom , 15 - 18 august 1983 , la jolla , california . spec . publ . am . soc . ichthyol . herpetol . 1 : ix , 760 p .
nelson , j . s . , 1984 . fishes of the world . 2nd edition . john wiley & sons , inc . , new york . 523 p .
bertelsen , e . , 1986 . mirapinnidae . p . 521 . in p . j . p . whitehead , m . - l . bauchot , j . - c . hureau , j . nielsen and e . tortonese ( eds . ) fishes of the north - eastern atlantic and the mediterranean . volume 2 . unesco , paris .
wu , h . l . , k . - t . shao and c . f . lai ( eds . ) , 1999 . latin - chinese dictionary of fishes names . the sueichan press , taiwan . 1028 p .
chinese academy of fishery sciences , 2003 . chinese aquatic germplasm resources database . urltoken
chinese academy of fishery science ( cafs ) , 2007 . database of genetic resources of aquatic organisms in china ( as of january 2007 ) . chinese academy of fishery science .
fao - fies , 2008 . aquatic sciences and fisheries information system ( asfis ) species list . retrieved from urltoken 29 april 2008 .
fao - fies , 2010 . aquatic sciences and fisheries information system ( asfis ) species list . retrieved from urltoken march 2010 .
fao - fies , 2012 . aquatic sciences and fisheries information system ( asfis ) species list . retrieved from urltoken march 2012 .
fao - fies , 2014 . aquatic sciences and fisheries information system ( asfis ) species list . retrieved from urltoken april 2014 .
fao - fies , 2015 . aquatic sciences and fisheries information system ( asfis ) species list . retrieved from urltoken [ accessed 13 / 04 / 2015 ] .
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g . david johnson , 1 , * john r . paxton , 2 tracey t . sutton , 3 takashi p . satoh , 4 tetsuya sado , 5 mutsumi nishida , 4 and masaki miya 5
received 2008 dec 2 ; revised 2009 jan 4 ; accepted 2009 jan 5 .
this is an open - access article distributed under the terms of the creative commons attribution license , which permits unrestricted use , distribution , and reproduction in any medium , provided the original work is properly cited .
new specimens from collecting expeditions continue to provide insights into the many mysteries of the earth ' s largest ecological habitat , the midwaters of the deep sea between the sunlit surface waters and the bottom . the cetomimidae ( whalefishes ) , one of the most speciose bathypelagic fish families ( nine genera , 20 species ) , were described by
) . the hairyfish , known from a single specimen , is uniquely characterized by a dense covering of hair - like outgrowths over the head , body and fins . tapetails have the skin of the caudal fin prolonged into a long ribbon - like streamer that may extend nine times the body length . all 120 mirapinnid specimens ( 5–56 mm ) are sexually immature , and all but four were collected in the upper 200 m . the megalomycteridae ( bignose fishes ) , described by
, comprise four monotypic genera . these small ( 34–68 mm ) , elongate fishes have huge nasal organs , small , horizontal mouths with immobile upper jaws , non - overlapping , mosaic scales and lack pelvic fins (
life stages and selected skeletal elements of cetomimid whalefishes . ( a ) eutaeniophorus festivus postlarva , bsku 51970 , 56 mm sl , approximately 816 mm tl , photo courtesy of masanori nakamachi , ‘sea fishes of japan’ © yama - kei publishers co . , ltd . p . brevis ? : ( b ) postlarva , cozumel , mexico , photo courtesy of donald hughes ; ( c ) postlarva , kpm ni13654 : ( i ) photo courtesy of yasuhiro morita , ( ii ) photo courtesy of sandra raredon , usnm ; ( d ) larva , mcz 59910 , 13 mm sl , photo courtesy of chris kenaley , © president and fellows of harvard college ; ( e ) ataxolepis apus adult male , usnm 391648 : ( i ) dorsal view of nasal organs , ( ii ) lateral view of viscera , enlarged liver on left , enlarged testes dorsal and ventral right , intestine middle right . ( f ) gyrinomimus sp . , juvenile female , ne pacific , photo courtesy of bruce robison , mbari . ( g ( i ) , h ( i ) , i ( i ) ) cranium and anterior vertebrae , and ( g ( ii ) , h ( ii ) , i ( ii ) ) left jaws , palatine arch , suspensorium and operclular bones of ( g ) e . festivus postlarva , usnm 391655 , 60 mm sl , ( h ) a . apus adult male , usnm 391649 , 58 mm sl and ( i ) c . regani female , usnm 391657 , 93 mm sl , respectively . blue ‘ovals’ enclose maxillae , premaxillae and rostral cartilage , which , in ( h ( ii ) ) are fused to each other and to broken nasals . ( g – i ) photo courtesy of g . d . j .
excellent new gulf of mexico megalomycterid specimens with closing - net data that placed them together with the cetomimids at 1500–2000 m depth led us to re - examine the problem . we discovered that the holotype and only known specimen of the megalomycterid
is actually a transforming mirapinnid , as evidenced by the remains of three small pelvic - fin rays , a slightly oblique mouth , a gut full of copepods and still - developing nasal organ anlagen . subsequently , we found that the holotype of
) , one of the few mirapinnids collected at depths greater than 200 m , is in a similar , but earlier , state of transition . the identity of mirapinnids as larval megalomycterids was thus established . fortuitously , a transforming specimen of the cetomimid long - finned whalefish
( a ) ml tree derived from analyses of whole mitogenome sequences from 15 specimens using raxml v . 7 . 0 . 4 . numerals beside internal branches indicate bootstrap values ( only 50 % and above are shown ) based on 1000 replicates . scale indicates expected number of substitutions per site ; red asterisks , larvae ; blue asterisk , male . long - finned whalefish c . regani zugmayer , 1914 : ( b ) usnm 391563 ; ( c ) mcz 60609 ( inset , enlarged nasal organ ) ; ( d ) bmnh 1957 . 7 . 20 . 1 . 00 , holotype of p . gulosus ( inset , elongate nasal rachis ) ; ( e ) usnm 392646 ; ( f ) usnm 391656 . photo courtesy of s . raredon and g . d . j .
clearing and staining procedure follows dingerkus & uhler ( 1977 ) . collection acronyms follow eschmeyer ( 1998 ) . sl = standard length ; tl = total length .
unambiguously aligned mitogenome sequences from 15 specimens were divided into five partitions ( first , second and third codon positions of the 13 protein - coding , rrna and trna genes ; total = 15 886 positions ) and subjected to the partitioned maximum - likelihood ( ml ) analysis using raxml v . 7 . 0 . 4 ( stamatakis 2006 ) . we estimated the best - scoring ml tree using a general time reversible ( gtr ) + gamma model of sequence evolution with 1000 bootstrap replicates . the resulting ml tree was then used as a backbone constraint ( − r option in raxml ) for subsequent ml analysis using unambiguously aligned , partial sequences of the 16s rrna gene from all 36 specimens . we similarly estimated the best - scoring ml tree using a gtr + gamma model of sequence evolution with 1000 bootstrap replicates . more details of the dna methods are in the electronic supplementary material .
we identified three specimens in transition from larval / juvenile stage to adult . the 41 . 7 mm
) collected in a closing net between 700–1400 m is an early transforming specimen with a full complement of 10 pelvic - fin rays , moderately long jaws and a gut full of copepods . although the nasal organ is incompletely developed , the elongate , thickened median rachis (
inset ) indicates that the individual would have developed into a male . the 34 mm holotype of
described above was caught in an open net fished to a depth of 1650 m . histology of the gonad reveals good spermatogenic tissue with pre - spermatids ( h . g . moser 2006 , personal communication ) .
illustrate the amazing ontogenetic transformations that result in extraordinary sexual dimorphism . these transformations include major changes in jaw length , depth and angle , and concomitant radical modifications of the suspensorium and angle of attachment of the skull to the vertebral column (
) . females develop taxon - specific gill arch structure and males exhibit hyperossification of most bones . of the latter , most remarkable are fusion of the first vertebra to the occiput and of the hypertrophied nasal , lacrimal and upper jawbones (
= 6 ) visible externally in life as a swollen orange bulge . this bolus of copepods must provide the nutrition required to generate the large liver that sustains the male through the rest of its life . this is unnecessary in females that continue to feed and may reach more than 40 cm . the transforming female
) , both with copepod - gorged guts , lost their streamers during capture . the most striking streamer is that of
) . one can only speculate regarding the possible advantages and disadvantages of this remarkable appendage in feeding versus predator avoidance . videos of live female whalefish show that their locomotion involves both rapid swimming with sinusoidal body waves and slow swimming with undulations of dorsal and anal fins ( see video a in the electronic supplementary material ) .
) from one male specimen , three larvae representing two species and six species of females in five genera . the linking of larval
is confirmed , with an ml tree based on 16s rrna analyses ( see figure s1 in the esm ) including two larvae and nine females of this species . larval
. further analyses combining morphologic and genetic data are planned , while tissues from additional genera and larvae are needed . with the synonymy of the three families confirmed , the next challenge is to link the three life stages of each species . meristic data establish
although remarkable ontogenetic transformations occur in a few other deep - sea fish families ( e . g . giganturidae ) , and prominent sexual dimorphism is widespread among vertebrates , the extraordinary combination of both that we have documented here for the whalefishes is unparalleled within vertebrata .
research carried out in this study followed animal care and use guidelines provided by the smithsonian institution .
sincere thanks to the following for providing significant specimens , tissue and / or data : k . hartel , a . williston ( mcz ) , e . wiley , a . bentley ( ku ) , b . cowen ( rsmas ) , i . byrkjedal ( zmub ) , n . merrett , j . badcock , j . maclaine ( ios / bmnh ) , e . bertelsen † , and p . møller ( zmuc ) ; images : b . robison ( mbari ) , d . hughes , y . morita and m . nakamachi . numerous others who have helped in many ways are listed in the electronic supplementary material .
bertelsen e . , marshall n . b . the mirapinnati , a new order of fishes .
dingerkus g . , uhler l . d . enzyme clearing of alcian blue stained whole small vertebrates for demonstration of cartilage .
california academy of sciences ; san francisco , ca : 1998 . catalog of fishes .
goode g . b . , bean t . h . on cetomimidae and rondeletiidae , two new families of bathybial fishes from the northwestern atlantic .
gosline w . a . university press hawaii ; honolulu , hi : 1971 . functional morphology and classification of teleostean fishes .
( teleostei : stomiiformes ) : first example of transfer rna gene rearrangements in bony fishes .
miya m . , et al . major patterns of higher teleostean phylogenies : a new perspective based on 100 complete mitochondrial dna sequences .
myers g . s . , freihofer w . c . megalomycteridae , a previously unrecognized family of deep - sea cetomimiform fishes based on two new genera from the north atlantic .
paxton j . r . synopsis of the whalefishes ( family cetomimidae ) with descriptions of four new genera .
paxton , j . r . 1999 family megalomycteridae , bignose fishes . in the living marine resources of the western central pacific ( eds k . e . carpenter & v . h . niem ) . rome , italy : fao .
paxton j . r . , johnson g . d . cetomimidae : whalefishes ; mirapinnidae : tapetails & hairyfish ; megalomycteridae : bignose fishes . in : richards w . j . , editor .
robins c . r . review : fishes of the western north atlantic . part 6 .
stamatakis a . raxml - vi - hpc : maximum likelihood - based phylogenetic analyses with thousands of taxa and mixed models .
walking rocks ? query : when i was in death valley earlier this year , i saw some enormous 750 - pound rocks that appear to travel across the desert on their own . i remembered your article about rock tortoises , and wondered if that’s what these rocks could be ?
corn of plenty ( part 4 of 4 ) : a field guide by dr . midas welby corns of the air : air - corns utilize their horns for jousting , playing tic - tac - toe , and spearing food in mid - flight . air - corns often lurk undetected in trees , wood piles , and rain gutters . when bored , they use their horns to ring the doorbells of unsuspecting humans . when the door begins to open , the air - corn flies away .
going on hiatus december 6 , 2014 : i am loving college , but i have to admit , i’m overwhelmed .
pine cone feeders a present for imaginaries : when winter comes , i get concerned about providing extra shelter from the elements for imaginaries . recently , i read about people who build wildlife brush shelters out of branches and plants in their yards , and thought this was a great idea .
range : small , widely - scattered populations in ocean , lake , and river waters in iceland , ontario , montana , maine , and the azores .
physical description : the most accurate description comes from a single hairyfish caught off the azores in the eastern atlantic in 1911 . covered in hair - like outgrowths , the fish had large fins near its throat that stuck up like wings , and the tail fin was divided into two overlapping parts . this particular hairyfish was dark brown and about 2 . 5 inches long , although a fish sighted in iceland in 1855 was reddish in color , and a hairyfish sighted in maine was reputed to be as large as a man’s foot .
characteristics : a great deal of folklore has grown up around the hairyfish , but no reliable information on the habits or behavior of this imaginary is known . as hairyfish have been reported in both fresh and salt water , it is possible that the presence of hair or fur on a fish is an adaptation , much like guyuscosity , rather than characteristic of a unique species of fish . all that we know about the habits of the hairyfish is that the one from the azores ate plankton .