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Swallowers
Pseudoscopelus spp
A swallower trawled off the central New South Wales coast in 1977 by the FRV Kapala. View larger image.
Deepsea fishes in the family Chiasmodontidae are often called "swallowers", because of their ability to swallow fishes larger than themselves. This is made possible because swallowers have large mouths which are capable of being opened very wide, and very elastic bodies and stomachs which can be greatly distended.
The family Chiasmodontidae contains eleven species in four genera; Chiasmodon, Dysalotus, Kali and Pseudoscopelus. Fishes in the genus Pseudoscopelus can be separated from the other three genera by the presence of photophores (light-producing organs).
Three species of Pseudoscopelus are recorded from Australian waters, P.altipinnis, P.scriptus and P.stellatus.
Further Reading
- Nakabo, T., Yamada, U. & M. Aizawa. 1992. New Record of Pseudoscopelus scutatus (Chiasmodontidae) from Japan. UO. 41:19-23.
- Johnson, R.K. & M.J. Keene. 1986. Family No. 228: Chiasmodontidae (pp. 731-735). in Smith, M.M. & P.C. Heemstra. (eds.) 1986. Smiths' Sea Fishes. Macmillan South Africa, Johannesburg. i-xx + 1-1047, Pls. 1-144.
- Wheeler, A. 1975. Fishes of the World. An Illustrated Dictionary. Ferndale Editions. Pp.366.
