Brachiopsilus

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Superclassis/Classis: Actinopterygii
Classis/Subclassis: Actinopteri
Subclassis/Infraclassis: Neopterygii
Infraclassis: Teleostei
Megacohors: Osteoglossocephalai
Supercohors: Clupeocephala
Cohors: Euteleosteomorpha
Subcohors: Neoteleostei
Infracohors: Eurypterygia
Sectio: Ctenosquamata
Subsectio: Acanthomorphata
Divisio/Superordo: Acanthopterygii
Subdivisio: Percomorphaceae
Series: Eupercaria
Ordo: Lophiiformes
Subordo: Antennarioidei

Familia: Brachionichthyidae
Genus: Brachiopsilus
Species: B. dianthus – B. dossenus – B. ziebelli
Name

Brachiopsilus Last & Gledhill, 2009

Type species: Brachiopsilus ziebelli Last & Gledhill, 2009, by original designation.
References

Last, P.R.; Gledhill, D.C. 2009: A revision of the Australian handfishes (Lophiiformes: Brachionichthyidae), with descriptions of three new genera and nine new species. Zootaxa, 2252: 1–77. Abstract & excerpt PDF

Brachiopsilus is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to family Brachionichthyidae, the handfishes. The fishes in this genus are endemic to Australia.
Taxonomy

Brachiopsilus was first proposed as a genus in 2009 by the Australian zoologists Peter R. Last and Daniel C. Gledhill when they described the three species within the genus. They designated B. ziebelli as the type species in the new genus.[1][2] This genus is classified within the family Brachionichthyidae which the 5th edition of Fishes of the World classifies the family Brachionichthyidae within the suborder Antennarioidei within the order Lophiiformes, the anglerfishes.[3]
Etymology

Brachiopsilus is a combination of brachium, which means "arm", and psilos, meaning "bare" or "smooth". This is an allusion to the smooth skin on the body and the arm-like pectoral fin.[4]
Species

Brachiopsilus currently has 3 recognised species within it:[5]

Brachiopsilus dianthus Last & Gledhill, 2009 (Pink handfish)
Brachiopsilus dossenus Last & Gledhill, 2009 (Humpback handfish)
Brachiopsilus ziebelli Last & Gledhill, 2009 (Ziebell's handfish)

Characteristics

Brachiopsilus handfishes are characterised by having a relatively deep body, the depth of the body at the origin of the second dorsal fin being equivalent to 31% to 43% of the standard length. They have large heads, the length of the head is equivalent to between 43% and 58% of the standard length and is slightly compressed in cross section. They have rather short caudal peduncles. The illicium may be short or long but is thin and is between 3 and 5 times the length of the esca. They have thick skin which is smooth but may have low ridges within it but does not have any enlarged, fleshy warts on it. The body or fins are brightly coloured or may have a strong pattern of speckles. The pectoral fin typically has 9 fin rays, sometimes 10 and 9 or 10 soft rays in the anal fin.[6] Th smallest fish in the genus is the humpback handfish (B. dossenus) with a maximum published standard length of 6.5 cm (2.6 in) while the largest is Ziebell's handfish (B. ziebelli) with a maximum published standard length of 11.7 cm (4.6 in).[5]
Distribution

Brachiopsilus handfishes are endemic to southern Australia where they ar found off the coasts of Victoria (state) and Tasmania.[2]
References

Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Brachiopsilus". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
Last, P.R.; Gledhill, D.C. (2009). "A revision of the Australian handfishes (Lophiiformes: Brachionichthyidae), with descriptions of three new genera and nine new species" (PDF). Zootaxa. 2252: 1–77.
Nelson, J.S.; Grande, T.C.; Wilson, M.V.H. (2016). Fishes of the World (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 508–518. doi:10.1002/9781119174844. ISBN 978-1-118-34233-6. LCCN 2015037522. OCLC 951899884. OL 25909650M.
Christopher Scharpf (14 November 2022). "Order LOPHIIFORMES (part 1): Families LOPHIIDAE, ANTENNARIIDAE, TETRABRACHIIDAE, LOPHICHTHYIDAE, BRACHIONICHTHYIDAE, CHAUNACIDAE and OGCOCEPHALIDAE". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2024). Species of Brachiopsilus in FishBase. February 2024 version.
Dianne J. Bray. "Brachiopsilus". Fishes of Australia. Museums Victoria. Retrieved 18 March 2024.