Elopidae

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Spanish hogfish (Bodianus rufus) is also sometimes known as "ladyfish".
Ladyfishes and tenpounders
Temporal range: Early Cretaceous–Recent
[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Elopiformes
Family: Elopidae
Genus: Elops
Linnaeus, 1766
Species

See text

The Elopidae are a family of ray-finned fish containing the single genus Elops. They are commonly known as ladyfish, skipjacks, jack-rashes, or tenpounders.

The ladyfish are a coastal-dwelling fish found throughout the tropical and subtropical regions, occasionally venturing into temperate waters.[2] Spawning takes place at sea, and the fish larvae migrate inland entering brackish waters. Their food is smaller fish and crustaceans (shrimp). Typically throughout the species, the maximum size is 1 m (3.3 ft) and the maximum weight 10 kg (22 lb). The body is fusiform (tapering spindle shape) and oval in cross-section; being slightly laterally compressed, and the eyes are large and partially covered with adipose eyelids.

Like those of eels, the larvae are leptocephalic - being highly compressed, ribbon-like, and transparent. After initial growth, they shrink and then metamorphise into the adult form.

This family is fished, but the body is bony and therefore this fish is not marketed widely for consumption. They are caught and used as bait or may be ground down for fish meal.

The name comes from the Greek ellops - a kind of serpent.[3]

Species

The currently recognized species in this genus are:[4]

  • Elops affinis Regan, 1909 (Pacific ladyfish)
  • Elops hawaiensis Regan, 1909 (Hawaiian ladyfish or giant herring)
  • Elops lacerta Valenciennes, 1847 (West African ladyfish or Guinean ladyfish)
  • Elops machnata (Forsskål, 1775) (tenpounder)
  • Elops saurus Linnaeus, 1766 (ladyfish)
  • Elops senegalensis Regan, 1909 (Senegalese ladyfish)
  • Elops smithi McBride, C. R. Rocha, Ruiz-Carus & Bowen, 2010 (malacho). [5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2009). "Elopidae" in FishBase. January 2009 version.
  2. ↑ Adams, A. J., Horodysky, A. Z., McBride, R. S., Guindon, K., Shenker, J., MacDonald, T. C., Harwell, H. D., Ward, R., and Carpenter, K. Global conservation status and research needs for tarpons (Megalopidae), ladyfishes (Elopidae) and bonefishes (Albulidae). Fish and Fisheries (online, early view as of 2013). http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/faf.12017/abstract
  3. ↑
    • Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2006). "Elopidae" in FishBase. January 2006 version.
  4. ↑ Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2013). Species of Elops in FishBase. August 2013 version.
  5. ↑ McBride, Richard S., Rocha, Claudia R., Ruiz-Carus, Ramon, Bowen, Brian W. 2012. A new species of ladyfish, of the genus Elops (Elopiformes: Elopidae), from the western Atlantic Ocean. Zootaxa. 2346: 29-41. DOI: http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2010/f/zt02346p041.pdf
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