Elopiformes

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Elopiformes
Temporal range: Early Cretaceous–Recent
[1]
Tarpon, Megalops sp.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Elopiformes
Sauvage, 1875
Families

Elopidae
Megalopidae

The Elopiformes /ɨˌlɒpɨˈfɔrmiːz/ are the order of ray-finned fish including the tarpons, tenpounders, and ladyfish, as well as a number of extinct types. They have a long fossil record, easily distinguished from other fishes by the presence of an additional set of bones in the throat.[1]

They are related to the order of eels, although the adults superficially resemble very large or giant herrings in appearance. The larvae, however, are leptocephali, looking very similar to those of eels.[1]

Classification

Although many fossil forms are known, the order is relatively small today, containing just two genera and eight species:[2]

Order Elopiformes

  • Family Elopidae (ladyfish)
    • Genus Elops (seven species, one of which was described in 2010)
  • Family Megalopidae (tarpons)
    • Genus Megalops (two species)

Timeline of genera

"Megalopiformes"

Quaternary Neogene Paleogene Cretaceous Holocene Pleistocene Pliocene Miocene Oligocene Eocene Paleocene Late Cretaceous Early Cretaceous Broweria Promegalops Protarpon Paratarpon Sedenhorstia Elopoides Quaternary Neogene Paleogene Cretaceous Holocene Pleistocene Pliocene Miocene Oligocene Eocene Paleocene Late Cretaceous Early Cretaceous

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 McCosker, John F. (1998). Paxton, J.R. & Eschmeyer, W.N., ed. Encyclopedia of Fishes. San Diego: Academic Press. pp. 85–86. ISBN 0-12-547665-5. 
  2. ↑ Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2009). "Elopiformes" in FishBase. January 2009 version.

External links

Extant Actinopterygii orders by subclass
Chondrostei
Neopterygii
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