{{Short description|Genus of marine ray-finned fishes}} {{Automatic taxobox | taxon = Pyrolycus | authority = Machida & Hashimoto, 2002 | type_species = ''Pyrolycus manusanus'' | type_species_authority = Machida & Hashimoto, 2002<ref name = CofF>{{Cof family|family=Lycodinae|access-date=18 November 2022}}</ref> }} '''''Pyrolycus''''' is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the subfamily Lycodinae, the eelpouts, within the family Zoarcidae.<ref name = CofF/> The genus was first described in 2002 by Japanese ichthyologists Yoshihiko Machida and Jun Hashimoto.<ref name="Machida2002">Machida, Y., & Hashimoto, J. (2002). ''Pyrolycus manusanus'', a new genus and species of deep-sea eelpout (Zoarcidae) from a hydrothermal vent field in the Manus Basin, Papua New Guinea. ''Ichthyological Research'', 49(1), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1007/s102280200000</ref> The type species is ''P. manusanus'', which was discovered in the Manus Basin off Papua New Guinea.<ref name="Machida2002"/>
==Etymology== The genus name ''Pyrolycus'' is derived from the Greek words "''pyr''" (fire) and "''lykos''" (wolf), referring to the type locality of the genus near hydrothermal vents and the predatory nature of these fishes.<ref name="Machida2002"/>
==Distribution and habitat== Species of ''Pyrolycus'' are found in deep waters of the Pacific Ocean, typically associated with hydrothermal vents or cold seeps.<ref name="Anderson2006">Anderson, M. E. (2006). A new species of ''Pyrolycus'' (Teleostei: Zoarcidae) from the Galapagos Rift. ''Zootaxa'', 1171(1), 37-44. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.1171.1.3</ref><ref name="Frable2023">Frable, B. W., Seid, C. A., Bronson, A., & Møller, P. R. (2023). Pyrolycus jaco, a new species of hydrothermal vent-associated eelpout (Teleostei: Zoarcidae) from the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. ''Zootaxa'', 5243(2), 231-240. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5243.2.5</ref>
==Description== ''Pyrolycus'' species have elongated, eel-like bodies with a single, long dorsal fin and a shorter anal fin. The pelvic fins are absent, and the pectoral fins are small.<ref name="Machida2002"/><ref name="Anderson2006"/> They have large heads with blunt snouts and thick, fleshy lips.<ref name="Frable2023"/> The teeth are small and conical, arranged in multiple rows on the jaws and vomer.<ref name="Machida2002"/>
==Species== ''Pyrolycus'' contains 3 species:<ref name = Fishbase>{{FishBase genus|genus=Pyrolycus|month=June|year=2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=New Species of Deep-Sea Fish Discovered off Costa Rica |url=https://today.ucsd.edu/story/new-species-of-deep-sea-fish-discovered-off-costa-rica |access-date=2023-01-26 |website=today.ucsd.edu |language=en}}</ref> {{Linked species list | Pyrolycus manusanus | Machida & Hashimoto, 2002 | Pyrolycus moelleri | M. E. Anderson, 2006 |Pyrolycus jaco|Frable, Seid, Bronson, & Møller, 2023}}
==Biology and ecology== Little is known about the biology and ecology of ''Pyrolycus'' species due to their deep-sea habitats and rarity. They are thought to be predators, feeding on small invertebrates and possibly scavenging on the carcasses of larger animals.<ref name="Machida2002"/><ref name="Anderson2006"/> The presence of these fishes near hydrothermal vents and cold seeps indicates that they might depend on chemosynthetic bacteria.<ref name="Frable2023"/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q628893}}
Category:Lycodinae Category:Actinopterygii genera