Brachybembras
Species of fish
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Brachybembras is monotypic genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Bembridae, the deepwater flatheads. Its only species, Brachybembras aschemeieri, is known only from the Pacific Ocean around the Philippines where it is found at a depth of around 582 metres (1,909 ft).
| Brachybembras | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Bembridae |
| Genus: | Brachybembras Fowler, 1938 |
| Species: | B. aschemeieri |
| Binomial name | |
| Brachybembras aschemeieri Fowler, 1938 | |
Taxonomy
Brachybembras was first described as a genus in 1938 by the American zoologist Henry Weed Fowler[1] when he described its only species B. aschemieri. The type locality of B. aschemieri was given as off Jolo Light, near Jolo in the Philippines.[2]
Etymology
The genus name combines brachy, "short", with Bembras as this taxon has a shorter snout than Bembras. The specific name honours Charles R. W. Aschemeier (1892-1973), a taxidermist at the U.S. National Museum of Natural History.[3]
Characteristics
Brachybembras has no spines in the anal fin, a terminal lower jaw which does not protrude beyond the upper jaw and having the maxillae being relatively wide to its rear. There are 8 spines in the first dorsal fin and 12 soft rays in the second. The lateral line has 32 scales. The pectoral fins each have 21 fin rays.
There is a strong suborbital ridge created by the second and third infraorbital bones and this bears 5 spines.[4] There are 11 spines in the anal fin and the eyes are large, being a third of the size of the head.
The colour is described as being pale brown, paler on the head with a whitish snout. The fins are greyish withwhite rays.[5]