Lophiocharon Whitley, 1933

Pietsch, Theodore W., 2004, A New Species of the Anglerfish Genus Lophiocharon Whitley (Lophiiformes: Antennariidae) from Australian Waters, Records of the Australian Museum 56 (2), pp. 159-162 : 160

Genus Lophiocharon Whitley, 1933

Lophiocharon Whitley, 1933: 104 [type species Lophiocharon broomensis Whitley, 1933 (a junior synonym of Cheironectes trisignatus Richardson, 1844 ), by original designation and monotypy].

Plumantennatus Schultz, 1957: 89 [type species Antennarius asper Macleay, 1881 (a junior synonym of Cheironectes trisignatus Richardson, 1844 ), by original designation and monotypy].

Diagnosis. Lophiocharon is unique among antennariid genera in having the illicial bone and second dorsal spine widely separated, the distance between the bases of these elements about 50% of the length of the pterygiophore of the illicium (less than about 35% of pterygiophore length in all other antennariids). This genus differs further from all other antennariid genera in having a row of 2–4 regularly spaced, more or less translucent (transparent in some specimens) ocelli on the membrane between each two rays of the caudal fin (best observed with the caudal rays spread;

see Pietsch & Grobecker, 1987: 225, 227; figs. 92, 93; colour

pl. 42) and in having the anterior tip of the pterygiophore of the illicium distinctly upturned.

Lophiocharon is further distinguished from all other antennariids by having the following combination of character states: skin covered with close-set bifurcate dermal spinules, the length of spines of each spinule not more than twice the distance between tips of spines (Pietsch & Grobecker, 1987: 33, fig. 16G); illicium naked ( L. trisignatus ) or covered throughout its length with dermal spinules ( L. lithinostomus and L. hutchinsi ); esca large and complex ( L. trisignatus ) or greatly reduced or absent ( L. lithinostomus and L. hutchinsi ); pectoral lobe broadly attached to side of body; caudal peduncle absent, the membranous posteriormost margin of soft-dorsal and anal fins attached to body at base of outermost rays of caudal fin; all rays of caudal fin bifurcate; mesopterygoid absent; pharyngobranchial I absent; epural absent; swimbladder present; dorsal rays 12 or 13; anal rays 6–8; pectoral rays 8 or 9 (Pietsch & Grobecker, 1987: 30, 34, 222; tables 1, 2, 11).

Description. See Pietsch & Grobecker, 1987: 222–223.

Three species, all restricted to the Indo-Australian Archipelago: