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Diameter of esca 6.7–8.6% SL; distal escal appendages very similar in holotype and paratypes, with proximal undivided part nearly cylindrical, each pair of distal branches simple, all darkly pigmented except for distal tips; posterior escal appendages repeatedly bifurcated, twice in holotype, 2 or 3 times in paratypes; posterior escal appendages darkly pigmented in holotype and largest paratype, only pigmented below second bifurcation in smaller paratype; holotype with a distal pair of illicial appendages located one to nearly twice diameter of escal bulb below base of posterior escal appendage, a similar but smaller proximal pair near base of illicium, and a single unpaired appendage at base of illicium; paratypes with illicial appendages similar to those of holotype but with one or two additional unpaired appendages on illicial stem, some bifurcated or trifurcated; small dermal spinules present on illicial stem and base of escal bulb; papillae of snout and chin well developed, those situated medially only lightly pigmented; indistinct lightly pigmented dorsal and ventral spots present on caudal peduncle; caudal-fin rays black in two largest specimens, pigmented distally and spotted proximally in 35-mm paratype; 5 or 6 large dermal spines present on base of each pectoral fin, about 30 spines on each side of body of holotype and largest paratype, 5 spines on each side of body of smaller paratype; dorsal-fin rays 5; anal-fin rays 4; pectoral-fin rays 15–17.
Metamorphosed females of H. melanolophus differ from those of the only other species of the H. nigricornis-group in having the following combination of character states: length of illicium 40–41% SL in specimens 82–94 mm (23% SL in 35-mm specimen); each primary branch of posterior escal appendage bifurcating once or twice to form 2–5 slender branches, its total length 11–13% SL; 5–7 appendages on stem and base of illicium, the longest 5.7–12% SL.
The holotype of Himantolophus melanolophus was captured in the Eastern Equatorial Atlantic just southwest of the Cape Verde Islands. The two paratypes were collected off the east and west coasts of Florida. The fourth specimen was captured from off Iceland, and the fifth from off Taiwan.
Meso- and bathypelagic, demersal. The holotype was collected with an open mid-water trawl between 0–350 m, while the remaining specimen were all taken by bottom trawls at depths between 360–550 m.
Pietsch TW. 2009. Oceanic Anglerfishes: Extraordinary Diversity in the Deep Sea. Berkley: University of California Press. 638 p.
Juvenile and adult females of the H. nigricornis-group differ from those of other species of the genus in having the following combination of character states: The distal light-guiding escal appendage is undivided proximally, but bifurcated distally, its total length less than 5% SL, shorter than the diameter of the escal bulb. The distal escal swellings are more-or-less distinctly divided into four lobes. An anterior escal appendage is absent. The posterior escal appendage is divided near its base into a pair of primary branches, each simple or bifurcating once or twice. The total length of the posterior escal appendages is 4–13% SL. The proximal parts of the distal and posterior escal appendages are darkly pigmented. A posterolateral pair of appendages is present on the stem of the illicium, situated 1–3 times the diameter of the escal bulb below the base of the posterior escal appendage; each is simple or bifurcated distally. As many as 5 additional appendages may be present on and at the base of the illicial stem. Small dermal spinules are present on the illicial stem and on the base of the escal bulb in specimens 145–195 mm. The papillae of the snout and chin are well developed except in some small specimens (i.e., the 35-mm specimen of H. melanolophus; UF 40805). “White patches” on the body are indistinct or absent. The caudal-fin rays of juvenile specimens are pigmented distally, the proximal parts spotted irregularly, but black in larger specimens.
Known from five metamorphosed females at 35–150 mm SL.
ANTON DOHRN station 32-II/74, Eastern Tropical Atlantic, 9°31'N, 29°35'W, mid-water trawl, 0–350 m, 2115 hr, 20 July 1974.
Holotype of Himantolophus melanolophus: ISH 1212/74, 82 mm SL.
Himantolophus melanolophus is a species of footballfish, a type of anglerfish. The fish is bathypelagic and has been found at depths ranging from 360 to 880 metres (1,180 to 2,890 ft). It is endemic to the west central Atlantic Ocean.[1]
Himantolophus melanolophus is a species of footballfish, a type of anglerfish. The fish is bathypelagic and has been found at depths ranging from 360 to 880 metres (1,180 to 2,890 ft). It is endemic to the west central Atlantic Ocean.
