{{Short description|Family of fishes}} {{Automatic taxobox | name = Viviparous brotulas | image = Hephthocara simum.jpg | image_caption = ''Hephthocara simum'' | taxon = Bythitidae | authority = T. N. Gill, 1861 | subdivision_ranks = Subfamilies | subdivision = See text }}
The '''viviparous brotulas''' form a family, the '''Bythitidae''', of ophidiiform fishes. They are known as viviparous brotulas as they generally bear live young,<ref name=EoF>{{cite book |editor1=Paxton, J.R. |editor2=Eschmeyer, W.N. |author= Nielsen, Jørgen G.|year=1998|title=Encyclopedia of Fishes|publisher= Academic Press|location=San Diego|page= 134|isbn= 0-12-547665-5}}</ref> although there are indications that some species (at least ''Didymothallus criniceps'') do not.<ref name=Nielsen2009>Nielsen; Schwarzhans; and Hadiaty (2009). A blind, new species of Diancistrus (Teleostei, Bythitidae) from three caves on Muna Island, southeast of Sulawesi, Indonesia. Cybium 33(3): 241–245.</ref> They are generally infrequently seen, somewhat tadpole-like in overall shape and mostly about {{convert|5|-|10|cm|in|abbr=on|0}} in length,<ref name="EoF"/> but some species grow far larger and may surpass {{convert|60|cm|ft|abbr=on|0}}.<ref>{{FishBase genus | genus = Cataetyx | month = April| year = 2017}}</ref><ref>{{FishBase genus | genus = Grammonus | month = April| year = 2017}}</ref>
Although many live near the coast in tropical or subtropical oceans,<ref name=EoF/> there are also species in deep water and cold oceans, for example ''Bythites''.<ref>{{FishBase genus | genus = Bythites | month = April| year = 2017}}</ref> ''Thermichthys hollisi'', which lives at depths of around {{convert|2500|m|ft|abbr=on}}, is associated with thermal vents.<ref>{{FishBase genus | genus = Thermichthys | species = hollisi | month = April| year = 2017}}</ref> A few are fresh or brackish water cavefish: the Mexican blind brotula (''Typhliasina pearsei''), Galapagos cuskeel (''Ogilbia galapagosensis''), ''Diancistrus typhlops'' and some ''Lucifuga'' species.<ref name=Nielsen2009/><ref>Romero, A., editor (2001). The Biology of Hypogean Fishes. Developments in Environmental Biology of Fishes. {{ISBN|978-1402000768}}</ref>
Since 2002, more than 110 new species have been added to this family.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/SpeciesByFamily.asp | title=CAS - Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes - Genera/Species by Family/Subfamily }}</ref> In 2005, 26 new species were described in a single paper by Danish and German scientists<ref name=SMN2005>{{cite journal | journal = The Beagle, Records of the Museum and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory | volume = 21 | year = 2005 | pages = 73–163 | title = Review of the Dinematichthyini (Teleostei: Bythitidae) of the Indo-West Pacific. Part I. ''Diancistrus'' and Two New Genera with 26 New Species | url=http://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=012814779649528;res=IELHSS |author1=Schwarzhans, Werner |author2=Møller, Peter Rask |author3=Nielsen, Jørgen G. }}</ref> and in 2007, an additional eight new genera with 20 new species were described in another paper by the same scientists.<ref name=20new>{{cite journal | journal = The Beagle, Records of the Museum and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory | volume = 23 | year = 2007 | pages = 29–110 | title = Review of the Dinematichthyini (Teleostei, Bythitidae) of the Indo-West pacific. Part III. Beaglichthys, Brosmolus, Monothrix and 8 new genera with description of 20 new species. | author = Schwarzhans & Møller}}</ref>
In some classifications the family Aphyonidae is placed within the Bythitidae and the tribe Dinematichthyini of the subfamily Brosmophycinae has been raised to the status of a family, the Dinematichthyidae which contains 25 genera and 114 species.<ref name = PKSN>{{cite journal | author1 = Møller PR | author2 = Knudsen SW | author3 = Schwarzhans W | author4 = Nielsen JG | year = 2016 | title = A new classification of viviparous brotulas (Bythitidae) - with family status for Dinematichthyidae - based on molecular, morphological and fossil data | pmid = 27060424 | journal = Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution | volume = 100 | pages = 391–408 | doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2016.04.008}} Abstract</ref>
The Bythitidae is divided as follows:
*Subfamily Brosmophycinae ** Tribe Dinematichthyini *** ''Alionematichthys'' *** ''Beaglichthys'' *** ''Brosmolus'' *** ''Brotulinella'' *** ''Dactylosurculus'' *** ''Dermatopsis'' *** ''Dermatopsoides'' *** ''Diancistrus'' *** ''Didymothallus'' *** ''Dinematichthys'' *** ''Dipulus'' *** ''Gunterichthys'' *** ''Lapitaichthys'' *** ''Majungaichthys'' *** ''Mascarenichthys'' *** ''Monothrix'' *** ''Nielsenichthys'' *** ''Ogilbia'' *** ''Ogilbichthys'' *** ''Paradiancistrus'' *** ''Porocephalichthys'' *** ''Typhliasina'' *** ''Ungusurculus'' *** ''Zephyrichthys'' ** Tribe Brosmophycini *** ''Bidenichthys'' *** ''Brosmodorsalis'' *** ''Brosmophyciops'' *** ''Brosmophycis'' *** ''Eusurculus'' *** ''Fiordichthys'' *** ''Lucifuga'' *** ''Melodichthys'' * Subfamily Bythitinae ** ''Acarobythites'' ** ''Anacanthobythites'' ** ''Bellottia'' ** ''Bythites'' ** ''Calamopteryx'' ** ''Cataetyx'' ** ''Diplacanthopoma'' ** ''Ematops'' ** ''Grammonus'' ** ''Hastatobythites'' ** ''Hephthocara'' ** ''Microbrotula'' ** ''Parasaccogaster''<ref>{{cite journal | author = Nielsen J.G., Schwarzhans W., Cohen D.M. | year = 2012 | title = Revision of ''Hastatobythites'' and ''Saccogaster'' (Teleostei, Bythitidae) with three new species and a new genus | journal = Zootaxa | volume = 3579 | pages = 1–36 | doi=10.11646/zootaxa.3579.1.1}}</ref> ** ''Pseudogilbia'' ** ''Pseudonus'' ** ''Saccogaster'' ** ''Stygnobrotula'' ** ''Thalassobathia'' ** ''Thermichthys'' ** ''Timorichthys'' ** ''Tuamotuichthys''
== References == {{Reflist}} * {{FishBase family | family = Bythitidae | month = June| year = 2012}}
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Category:Bythitidae Category:Viviparous fish