Alepisauridae

Alepisauridae
Alepisaurus ferox
Systematics
Subclass : Real bony fish (Teleostei) Overcohort : Clupeocephala Cohort : Euteleosteomorpha Sub-cohort : Neoteleostei Order : Lizardfish (Aulopiformes) Family : Alepisauridae
Scientific name
Alepisauridae
Regan , 1911

The Alepisauridae ( size : a = without, lepis = scale, sauros = lizard) are predatory fish that are widespread in all oceans, with the exception of the polar seas, and live from the surface of the sea to depths of 4000 meters.

shape

Alepisauridae are 23 centimeters to 2.5 meters long. Your body is slim, flattened on the sides, and flaky. Light organs and a swim bladder are missing. The dorsal fin of the genus Alepisaurus is sail-like and extends over most of the body. It is supported by 29 to 48 fin rays and can be placed in a recess on the back. The fins are devoid of hard rays and are extremely fragile. Behind it is a small adipose fin . In the short dorsal fin of Omosudis there are only nine to twelve fin rays. The anal fin of all three species has 12 to 18 fin rays, the pelvic fins eight to ten. The number of vertebrae is 47 to 51 in Alepisaurus and 39 to 41 in Omosudis . The caudal fin is forked. The concave anal fin begins under the last ray of the dorsal fin.

The mouth is deeply split and protrudes behind the eyes. Each jaw has two or three large fangs with smaller teeth behind them. The palatine is very long.

Alepisaurus brevirostris

Systematics

Genera and species according to Nelson (2006):

• Alepisaurus
  • Alepisaurus ferox (Lowe, 1833), up to 2.15 meters long, pointed snout.
  • Alepisaurus brevirostris (Gibbs 1960), up to 0.95 meters long, blunt snout.
• Omosudis
  • Hammer jawfish ( Omosudis lowii )

In most sources, the genus Alepisaurus is the only one of the monotypical family of Alepisauridae. The American ichthyologist Joseph S. Nelson also puts the hammer jaw fish ( Omosudis lowii ) in the genus, Matthew P. Davis also the genera Anotopterus and Magnisudis , which are usually assigned to the barracudinas (Paralepididae). Alepisaurus and Omosudis as well as Anotopterus and Magnisudis are sister genera , the clades thus formed are in a sister group relationship to one another. The family of the Alepisauridae is assigned to the suborder Alepisauroidei and the superfamily Alepisauroidea.

The following cladogram shows the internal systematics of the Alepisauridae including Anotopterus , Magnisudis and Omosudis and their position within the superfamily Alepisauroidea:

Anotopterus pharaoh

Short salmon sparrow ( Magnisudis atlantica )

Hammerjaw fish ( Omosudis lowii ) with swallowed prey fish.

Alepisauroidea	Pearl eyes (Scopelarchidae)      Saber toothfish (Evermannellidae)      Sudidae      Barracudinas (Paralepididae)   Alepisauridae    Anotopterus      Magnisudis      Omosudis      Alepisaurus

fishing

There is no commercial catch of alepisaurids. Their flesh is watery and gelatinous. They are often caught as bycatch when catching tuna , which is not welcomed as it loses the bait for the more valuable fish being caught.

literature

• Kurt Fiedler: Textbook of Special Zoology, Volume II, Part 2: Fish , Gustav Fischer Verlag, Jena 1991, ISBN 3-334-00339-6
• Joseph S. Nelson : Fishes of the World , John Wiley & Sons, 2006, ISBN 0-471-25031-7

Individual evidence

1. ^ ^{A b} Matthew P. Davis: Evolutionary relationships of the Aulopiformes (Euteleostei: Cyclosquamata): a molecular and total evidence approach. in JS Nelson, H.-P. Schultze & MVH Wilson (Eds.): Origin and Phylogenetic Interrelationships of Teleosts. Publishing house Dr. Friedrich Pfeil, Munich, Germany - ISBN 978-3-89937-107-9

Web links

Commons : Alepisaurus  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Alepisauridae on Fishbase.org (English)