[NatureNS] re:re:mystery fish

From: Christopher Majka <c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Date: Wed, 13 Aug 2008 10:26:03 -0300
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Hi Bernard,

I think there must have been some sort of mixup in the photo links =20
that Andrew (who is away on vacation at the moment) sent to Alphonso =20
Rojo to examine. I'm convinced the skeleton depicted in your photos on:

http://bernieb.smugmug.com/gallery/916397_ynXPk/5/48802228_Th9z3/Medium

Is an Ocean Pout, Macrozoarces americanus (Schneider). I sent these =20
photos directly to John Gilhen who agreed that it is an Ocean Pout. =20
John originally also saw a skeleton on Andrew's computer screen which =20=

he thought was a goosefish, but when I forwarded him your photos =20
directly he realized that they were of a completely different fish.

A Goosefish (Monkfish, Devilfish, etc.) (Lophius americanus =20
Valenciennes) is shaped completely differently. It is strongly dorso-=20
laterally flattened with an extremely wide mouth. The pectoral fins =20
are very stubby and foot-like and are situated at the extreme apicies =20=

of this very flattened body. The shape of the bones in the head are =20
completely different from those depicted in your photograph as you can =20=

see from the links below:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:AmericanAngler.jpg
http://www.diatribune.com/book/export/html/2772

The shape of the lower jaw of the fish depicted in your photo:

http://bernieb.smugmug.com/gallery/916397_ynXPk/5/48802231_gLtUb/Medium

Is much narrower and more pointed than the extremely wide mouth of the =20=

goosefish. I'd suggest that you send the photos directly Alphonso, let =20=

him know that John Gilhen considers that it is an Ocean Pout, and ask =20=

his opinion on them.

Cheers!

Chris

On 13-Aug-08, at 7:29 AM, Bernard Burke wrote:

> All
> Near the start of this month I posted some photos of fish bones my =20
> sister Rita had taken for which we wondered of its identity.
> http://bernieb.smugmug.com/gallery/916397_ynXPk/5/48802228_Th9z3/=20
> Medium
> Andrew Hebda forwarded the photo links to Alphonso Rojo and here was =20=

> his interpretation:
>
> "It is a Lophius americanus.  The upper mandible is disconnected. By =20=

> its shape, its gape, and teeth there is no doubt.
> I checked other bones, but the picture doesn't show them very well. =20=

> I checked them at home. There is no other fish with these features.
>
> The popular name of the fish is angler or devil=92s fish. It is =20
> considered to be a different species of the European Lophius =20
> piscatorius."
>
> After requesting and obtaining permission to post his interpretation =20=

> here, he did however indicate to me that he wanted to emphasize it =20
> would be preferable to see the bones to be 100% certain, being that =20=

> relying on a picture there is always a possible small margin of error.
>
> Thanks again to those who responded and assisted in our inquiry.
>
> Bernard Burke
>
> blburke@ns.sympatico.ca
>
> Dartmouth
>
>
>

Christopher Majka
Nova Scotia Museum, 1747 Summer St., Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada  B3H =20=

3A6
c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca




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<html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; =
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Hi =
Bernard,<div><br></div><div>I think there must have been some sort of =
mixup in the photo links that Andrew (who is away on vacation at the =
moment) sent to&nbsp;Alphonso Rojo to examine. I'm convinced the =
skeleton depicted in your photos on:</div><div><br></div><div><a =
href=3D"http://bernieb.smugmug.com/gallery/916397_ynXPk/5/48802228_Th9z3/M=
edium">http://bernieb.smugmug.com/gallery/916397_ynXPk/5/48802228_Th9z3/Me=
dium</a></div><div><br></div><div>Is an Ocean Pout,&nbsp;<i>Macrozoarces =
americanus</i>&nbsp;(Schneider). I sent these photos directly to John =
Gilhen who agreed that it is an Ocean Pout. John originally also saw a =
skeleton on Andrew's computer screen which he thought was a goosefish, =
but when I forwarded him your photos directly he realized that they were =
of a completely different fish.</div><div><br></div><div>A Goosefish =
(Monkfish, Devilfish, etc.)&nbsp;(<i>Lophius americanus =
</i>Valenciennes)&nbsp;is shaped completely differently. It is strongly =
dorso-laterally&nbsp;flattened with an extremely wide mouth. The =
pectoral fins are very stubby and foot-like and are situated at the =
extreme apicies of this very flattened body. The shape of the bones in =
the head are completely different from those depicted in your photograph =
as you can see from the links below:</div><div><br></div><div><a =
href=3D"http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:AmericanAngler.jpg">http:/=
/commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:AmericanAngler.jpg</a></div><div><a =
href=3D"http://www.diatribune.com/book/export/html/2772">http://www.diatri=
bune.com/book/export/html/2772</a></div><div><br></div><div>The shape of =
the lower jaw of the fish depicted in your =
photo:</div><div><br></div><div><a =
href=3D"http://bernieb.smugmug.com/gallery/916397_ynXPk/5/48802231_gLtUb/M=
edium">http://bernieb.smugmug.com/gallery/916397_ynXPk/5/48802231_gLtUb/Me=
dium</a></div><div><br></div><div>Is much narrower and more pointed than =
the extremely wide mouth of the goosefish. I'd suggest that you send the =
photos directly&nbsp;Alphonso, let him know that John Gilhen considers =
that it is an Ocean Pout, and ask his opinion on =
them.</div><div><br></div><div>Cheers!</div><div><br></div><div>Chris</div=
><div>&nbsp;</div><div><div><div>On 13-Aug-08, at 7:29 AM, Bernard Burke =
wrote:</div><br class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote =
type=3D"cite"><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"border-collapse: =
separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: =
normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; =
text-align: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: =
normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: =
0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; =
-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: =
auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0; "><div bgcolor=3D"#ffffff"><div><font =
face=3D"Arial" size=3D"2">All</font></div><div><font face=3D"Arial" =
size=3D"2">Near the start of