Chionodraco
{{Short description|Genus of fishes}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| image = Icefish Chionodraco hamatus.jpg
| image_caption = C. hamatus
| taxon = Chionodraco
| authority = Lönnberg, 1906
| type_species = Chionodraco hamatus
| type_species_authority = Lönnberg, 1905
}}
Chionodraco is a genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Channichthyidae, the crocodile icefishes. They are found in the Southern Ocean.
Taxonomy
Chionodraco was first described as a genus in 1905 by the Swedish zoologist Einar Lönnberg when he described the Chaenichthys hamatus which he subsequently placed in a new monotypic genus.{{Cof family | family = Channichthyidae | access-date = 17 October 2021}} The genus name is a compound of chionos meaning "snow" and draco which means "dragon", Lönnberg did not explain this but it may allude to a relationship with the genus Cryodraco.{{cite web | url = https://etyfish.org/perciformes7/ | title = Order Perciformes: Suborder Notothenoididei: Families Bovichtidae, Pseaudaphritidae, Elegopinidae, Nototheniidae, Harpagiferidae, Artedidraconidae, Bathydraconidae, Channichthyidae and Percophidae | work = The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database | editor1= Christopher Scharpf | editor2 = Kenneth J. Lazara | name-list-style = amp |date = 12 April 2021 | access-date = 17 October 2021 | publisher = Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara}}
Species
There are currently three recognized species in this genus:{{FishBase genus | genus = Chionodraco| month = June | year = 2021}}
- Chionodraco hamatus (Lönnberg, 1905)
- Chionodraco myersi H. H. DeWitt & J. C. Tyler, 1960 (Myers's icefish)
- Chionodraco rastrospinosus H. H. DeWitt & Hureau, 1979 (Ocellated icefish)
Characteristics
Chionodraco icefishes may have the spine on the snout present or it is reduced to a small centrally placed knob. The gill rakers may bear teeth or are vestigial. The upper and lower jaws are of equal length, although the lower jaw may protrude. There are robust spines on the operculum with the other opercular bones each having a pair of spines where they join. The first and second dorsal fins are separate and there are three lateral lines. In the pelvic fin the outermost pair of fin rays are the longest and the tips are covered in thickened skin. The caudal fin is rounded.{{cite book | editor1 = O. Gon | editor2 = P.C. Heemstra | name-list-style = and | year = 1990 | title = Fishes of the Southern Ocean | author1 = T. Iwami | author2 = K-H Koch | publisher = South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity | isbn = 9780868102115 | chapter = Channicthyidae Icefishes | url = https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/240475#page/403/mode/1up}} The maximum total length of these fishes varies from {{cvt|38|cm}} in C. myersi to {{cvt|52|cm}} in C. rastrospinosus.
Distribution and habitat
Chionodraco contains two circum-antarctic species, one of which is apparently confined to West Antarctica. They are demersal and pelagic fishes found on the continental shelf and slope.
Biology
Chionodraco icefishes are predatory, feeding on other fish species and krill. They have a long post larval pelagic phase. In common with many other channichthyid fishes, reproduction in Chionodraco hamatus involves laying eggs in a nest and parental guarding. Similar morphological features suggest that at least Chionodraco rastrospinosus has similar reproductive behaviours.{{Cite journal | doi = 10.1371/journal.pone.0090512| title = A demonstration of nesting in two Antarctic icefish (genus Chionodraco) using a fin dimorphism analysis and ex situ videos| journal = PLOS ONE| volume = 9| issue = 3| pages = e90512| year = 2014| last1 = Ferrando | first1 = S. | last2 = Castellano | first2 = L. | last3 = Gallus | first3 = L. | last4 = Ghigliotti | first4 = L. | last5 = Masini | first5 = M. A. | last6 = Pisano | first6 = E. | last7 = Vacchi | first7 = M. |name-list-style=amp| pmid=24598889 | pmc=3944016| bibcode = 2014PLoSO...990512F| doi-access = free}}
Fisheries
References
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