Elopiformes

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Elopiformes
Temporal range: Early Cretaceous–Recent
[1]
Tarpon.jpg
Tarpon, Megalops sp.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Phylum:
Class:
Order:
Elopiformes

Sauvage, 1875
Families

Elopidae
Megalopidae

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The Elopiformes /ˌlɒpˈfɔːrmz/ 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 nine species:[2]

Order Elopiformes

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

Timeline of genera

"Megalopiformes"

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2009). "Elopiformes" in FishBase. January 2009 version.

External links