| Pseudotrichonotus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Pseudotrichonotus altivelis | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Aulopiformes |
| Suborder: | Synodontoidei |
| Family: | Pseudotrichonotidae Yoshino & Araga, 1975 |
| Genus: | Pseudotrichonotus Yoshino & Araga, 1975 |
Pseudotrichonotus is a genus of fish in the family Pseudotrichonotidae native to the Indian and Pacific Ocean. This genus consists of four species of sand-diving lizardfish and is the only member of its family.[1]
History and Etymology
The name Pseudotrichonotus comes from the Greek pseudes, meaning false, and Trichonotus, another genus of sand-diving fish to which it bears a superficial resemblance.[2]
Their common name comes from their habit of submerging themselves in substrate.[3]
Morphology
Members of this genus have long cylindrical bodies with relatively small mouths[4] and long dorsal fins.[3] The anterior portion of the fin is generally held erect while the posterior portion is pressed against the back, concealing its true shape.[3]
Pseudotrichonotus species lack a swim bladder.[4]
Species
There are currently 4 recognized species in this genus:
- Pseudotrichonotus altivelis Yoshino & Araga, 1975
- Pseudotrichonotus belos A. C. Gill & Pogonoski, 2016 (Dart sand-diving lizardfish) [5]
- Pseudotrichonotus caeruleoflavus G. R. Allen, Erdmann, Suharti & Sianipar, 2017 [6]
- Pseudotrichonotus xanthotaenia Parin, 1992[7]
References
- Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Species in genus Pseudotrichonotus". FishBase. October 2016 version.
- Johnson, G. David; Baldwin, Carole C.; Okiyama, Muneo; Tominaga, Yoshiaki (1996-02-01). "Osteology and relationships of Pseudotrichonotus altivelis (Teleostei: Aulopiformes: Pseudotrichonotidae)". Ichthyological Research. 43 (1): 17–45. doi:10.1007/BF02589606. ISSN 1616-3915.
- Admin; Rowlett, Joe (2016-03-23). "The Sand-diving Lizardfish – a Lovely Little Mesophotic Oddball". Reefs.com. Retrieved 2026-06-21.
- "FAMILY Details for Pseudotrichonotidae - Sand diving lizardfishes". www.fishbase.se. Retrieved 2026-06-21.
- Gill, A.C. & Pogonoski, J.J. (2016): Pseudotrichonotus belos new species, first record of the fish family Pseudotrichonotidae from Australia (Teleostei: Aulopiformes). Zootaxa, 4205 (2): 189–193.
- Allen, G.R., Erdmann, M.V., Suharti, S.R. & Sianipar, A. (2017): Pseudotrichonotus caeruleoflavus, a new species of reef fish from Indonesia (Teleostei: Aulopiformes: Pseudotrichonotidae). aqua, International Journal of Ichthyology, 23 (1): 1-10.
- "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species". www.marinespecies.org. Retrieved 2026-06-21.