REVIEW OF THE DEEP-SEA ANGLERFISHES (LOPHIIFORMES: CERATIOIDEI) OF SOUTHERN AFRICA

Deep-sea anglerfishes (Lophiiformes, Ceratioidei) of the familes Caulophrynidae, Melanocetidae, Himantolophidae, Diceratiidae, Oneirodidae, Thaumatichthyidae, Centrophrynidae, Ceratiidae, Gigantactinidae and Linophrynidae from southern Africa are reviewed since the publication of the book Smiths Sea Fishes (1986, 1991). Twenty-three new records of ceratioid anglerfishes are reported for the region, bringing the total to 32. No new taxa are described. The faunal area for southern African deep-sea fishes is expanded from that of Smiths Sea Fishes in order to include several literature records and recognize the broad distributions of these fishes through the deep-pelagic Atlantic/Indo-Pacific transit zone. Keys to all families, genera and species, as well as descriptions of all southern African specimens, are provided. The bulk of this material was collected during research cruises of South Africas RS AFRICANA and MEIRING NAUDÉ.