WoRMS taxon details
Priacanthidae Günther, 1859
- Genus Cookeolus Fowler, 1928
- Genus Heteropriacanthus Fitch & Crooke, 1984
- Genus Priacanthus Oken, 1817
- Genus Pristigenys Agassiz, 1835
- Genus Bogoda Blyth, 1860 accepted as Priacanthus Oken, 1817 (synonym)
- Genus Priacanthias accepted as Priacanthus Oken, 1817 (unaccepted > misspelling - incorrect subsequent spelling)
- Genus Pseudopriacanthus Bleeker, 1869 accepted as Pristigenys Agassiz, 1835 (synonym)
marine, terrestrial
Not documented
Description Tropical and subtropical Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans. Eyes very big, with a brilliant reflective layer (tapida...
Description Tropical and subtropical Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans. Eyes very big, with a brilliant reflective layer (tapida lucidum). Mouth big and superior (strongly oblique). Dorsal fin spines usually 10; soft rays 10-15. Three spines in anal fin; soft rays 9-16. Caudal fin slightly emarginate to rounded. Sixteen principal rays in caudal fin (2 unbranched). Inner rays of pelvic fin attached to body by a membrane. Scales very rough with integral spines, usually bright red in color. Epibenthic and generally associated with rock formations or coral reefs; a few species are often trawled in more open areas; usually carnivorous and nocturnal. Eggs, larvae and early juvenile stages are pelagic. Typically less than 30 cm TL, but largest species attains more than 50 cm maximum length. [details]
Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. (2025). FishBase. Priacanthidae Günther, 1859. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=125555 on 2025-09-11
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Nomenclature
basis of record
van der Land, J.; Costello, M.J.; Zavodnik, D.; Santos, R.S.; Porteiro, F.M.; Bailly, N.; Eschmeyer, W.N.; Froese, R. (2001). Pisces, <B><I>in</I></B>: Costello, M.J. <i>et al.</i> (Ed.) (2001). <i>European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels,</i> 50: pp. 357-374 (look up in IMIS) [details]
Taxonomy
taxonomy source
Van Der Laan, R.; Eschmeyer, W. N.; Fricke, R. (2014). Family-group names of Recent fishes. <em>Zootaxa.</em> 3882(1): 1-230., available online at https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3882.1.1 [details] Available for editors 
[request]
[request]Other
context source (PeRMS)
Chirichigno, N.; Cornejo, M. (2001). Catálogo comentado de los peces marinos del Perú. <em>2ª ed. Instituto del Mar de Perú. Publicación Especial. Callao.</em> 314 p. [details]
additional source Fricke, R., Eschmeyer, W. N. & Van der Laan, R. (eds). (2025). ECoF. Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes: Genera, Species, References. <em>California Academy of Sciences. San Francisco.</em> Electronic version accessed dd mmm 2025., available online at http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/Ichthyology/catalog/fishcatmain.asp [details]
additional source Fricke, R., Eschmeyer, W. N. & Van der Laan, R. (eds). (2025). ECoF. Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes: Genera, Species, References. <em>California Academy of Sciences. San Francisco.</em> Electronic version accessed dd mmm 2025., available online at http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/Ichthyology/catalog/fishcatmain.asp [details]
Present Inaccurate Introduced: alien Containing type locality
Unreviewed
Description Tropical and subtropical Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans. Eyes very big, with a brilliant reflective layer (tapida lucidum). Mouth big and superior (strongly oblique). Dorsal fin spines usually 10; soft rays 10-15. Three spines in anal fin; soft rays 9-16. Caudal fin slightly emarginate to rounded. Sixteen principal rays in caudal fin (2 unbranched). Inner rays of pelvic fin attached to body by a membrane. Scales very rough with integral spines, usually bright red in color. Epibenthic and generally associated with rock formations or coral reefs; a few species are often trawled in more open areas; usually carnivorous and nocturnal. Eggs, larvae and early juvenile stages are pelagic. Typically less than 30 cm TL, but largest species attains more than 50 cm maximum length. [details]
