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Smallest known specimen (28 mm) with least number of illicial appendages, and shortest illicial appendages and posterior escal appendage; two smallest specimens (28–29 mm) with shortest illicium and illicial appendages; a general but irregular trend toward an increase in relative length of escal appendages with increasing SL among larger specimens (34–190 mm); distal escal appendage nearly or completely covered with pigment, except on extreme distal tip, in specimens more than 30 mm; distal escal appendage of now bleached holotype with some brownish but not dense pigmentation; posterior escal appendage and illicial appendages white or with scattered melanophores; posterior escal appendage bifurcated near base, each primary branch simple or divided into 2–4 filamentous branches near tip; distal pair of illicial appendages situated about diameter of escal bulb below posterior escal appendage; escal and illicial appendages naked; stem of illicium with small dermal spinules in specimens larger than 50 mm, base of escal bulb with dermal spinules in 190-mm holotype; skin naked in specimens less than 35 mm, larger specimens with 2–7 large spines on each pectoral lobe, 4–9 spines on each side of body in 34- and 39-mm specimens, increasing to about 15–40 in larger specimens; papillae of snout and chin well developed except in juvenile specimens less than 30 mm.
The 141-mm SIOM specimen is extremely similar to the holotype except in the length of the illicium. The known specimens differ somewhat in pigmentation: four specimens, 39–80 mm, with nearly uniform brownish black skin, only slightly lighter on medial surface of papillated area of snout and chin; in remaining specimens these medial areas white or only very faintly pigmented, and more-or-less distinct white patches present on dorsal and ventral side of caudal peduncle; five of these specimens with similar white spots on or in front of anterior-most dorsal- and anal-fin rays, as well as on dorsal- and ventral-most caudal-fin rays; white olfactory papillae present in holotype and only three other specimens (60, 66, and 104 mm); in four smallest specimens (28–39 mm), only dorsal- and ventral-most caudal-fin ray pigmented, pigment restricted to first and distal part of remaining rays of dorsal and anal fins; in larger specimens, all fin rays darkly pigmented; except in four specimens (39–80 mm), dorsal surface of body faintly pigmented or nearly white from base of illicium to origin of dorsal fin; in two smallest specimens, posterior part of this field raised into a dorsal hump with a dark central spot, similar to pigmented hump characteristic of type "B" larvae; faint remains of this spot can be traced in some larger specimens; dorsal-fin rays 5; anal-fin rays 4; pectoral-fin rays 15–17.
Females of H. albinares differ from those of other species of the H. albinares-group in having the following combination of character states: length of illicium 36–54% (61%?) SL in specimens greater than 30 mm (34–190 mm); distal escal appendage deeply cleft, undivided part 1.0–9.4% SL; each primary branch of distal escal appendage simple, darkly pigmented except on distal tip, its total length 8–13% SL in specimens 34–66 mm, 25–74% SL in specimens 75–190 mm; length of posterior escal appendage 8.5–21% SL in specimens 30–190 mm, pigmentation faint or absent; 2–9 posterolateral appendages on illicial stem, simple or branched at tip, longest 7–23% SL in specimens greater than 30 mm; escal bulb and appendages without dermal spinules.
The known records of Himantolophus albinares are restricted to the Atlantic, scattered across both sides of that ocean, and extending as far north as Iceland to approximately 24°S near Valdivia Bank.
Meso- to bathypelagic. Except for two specimens caught on long lines in unknown depths and a specimen taken in a bottom trawl at 1423 m, all individuals were taken in open trawls fished a maximum depths of 330–1950 m, and most of them in trawls with a maximum depth of more than 500 m. This might indicate a preference for a somewhat greater depth than the species of the H. groenlandicus-group.
Pietsch TW. 2009. Oceanic Anglerfishes: Extraordinary Diversity in the Deep Sea. Berkley: University of California Press. 638 p.
Metamorphosed females of the H. albinares-group differ from those of the other species of the genus in having the following combination of character states: The distal light-guiding escal appendage is bifurcated at less than 1% SL to 32% SL above its base; each main branch is simple or with one to three bifurcations, its total length greater than the diameter of the escal bulb in specimens more than 30 mm, 8–52% SL in specimens 30–70 mm, 24–82% SL in larger specimens. A more-or-less distinct pair of posterolateral, distal swellings is present on the escal bulb. An anterior escal appendage is absent. The posterior escal appendage is divided near its base into two primary branches, each simple, or bifurcating distally once or twice. The total length of the posterior escal appendage is 3.5–23% SL, about as long as the distal escal appendage in smaller specimens, much shorter than the distal escal appendage in specimens greater than 70 mm. There are 0–9 posterolateral appendages on the stem of the illicium; the distal-most pair, when present, is located near the base of the escal bulb, just below the base of the posterior escal appendage, the longest 0–23% SL. Most species of the group have small dermal spinules on the stem of the illicium; in some species, the spinules extend onto the surface of the escal bulb and distal escal appendage. The papillae of the snout and chin are well developed (except in specimens less than about 40 mm). “White patches” of skin are present or absent. The caudal-fin rays are unpigmented distally, irregularly spotted proximally in juvenile specimens (less than about 50 mm), but darkly pigmented in larger specimens.
Bertelsen E, Krefft G. 1988. The ceratioid family Himantolophidae (Pisces, Lophiiformes). Steenstrupia 14(2):9–89.
Maul GE. 1961. The ceratioid fishes in the collection of the Museu Municipal do Funchal (Melanocetidae, Himantolophidae, Oneirodidae, Linophrynidae). Bol Mus Mun Funchal 14(50):87–159.
Except for the presence of white circular scars found on the bodies of five females, which Maul (1961:115, fig. 15) argued might be “the result of an injury caused by a male that had grown fast there and has for some reason become suddenly detached”—but which Bertelsen and Krefft (1988) suggested might be caused by parasitic copepods—there is no evidence of sexual parasitism in this family.
Known from 25 metamorphosed females at 28–190 mm SL.
Off Camara de Lobos, Madeira, on long line, probably 1933 or 1934.
Holotype of Himantolophus albinares: MMF 2598, 190 mm.
Himantolophus albinares is a species of footballfish, a type of anglerfish. The fish is bathypelagic and can be found at depths ranging from 330 to 1,950 metres (1,080 to 6,400 ft). It is endemic to the Atlantic Ocean.[2] As of 1999, a total of four specimens had been found.[1]
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link) Himantolophus albinares is a species of footballfish, a type of anglerfish. The fish is bathypelagic and can be found at depths ranging from 330 to 1,950 metres (1,080 to 6,400 ft). It is endemic to the Atlantic Ocean. As of 1999, a total of four specimens had been found.
