Stephanoberyciformes
Encyclopedia
The Stephanoberyciformes are an order
of marine ray-finned fishes, consisting of about 45 species, the majority (37) of which belong to the ridgehead
family
(Melamphaidae). The Stephanoberyciformes are mostly uncommon deep-sea species with little, if any, importance to commercial fishery
. They share many morphological similarities with the Beryciformes
, their sister order.
Some sources classify their other close relatives, the whalefishes, as a superfamily
herein, named Cetomimoidea. Most taxa traditionally placed here would then be the Stephanoberyciodea.
The families
are:
Common characteristics include a generally rounded body, a toothless palate
, rather thin skull
bones, and a missing orbitosphenoid bone (except for Hispidoberyx).
The gibberfishes on the other hand appear to be closer to whalefishes such as Rondeletia
, as has been proposed time and again. These two groups have - apparently as only living fishes - the mysterious Tominaga's organ. Rondeletia, meanwhile, is suspected to be very close to the velvet whalefish
, Barbourisia rufa.
Order (biology)
In scientific classification used in biology, the order is# a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, family, genus, and species, with order fitting in between class and family...
of marine ray-finned fishes, consisting of about 45 species, the majority (37) of which belong to the ridgehead
Ridgehead
Ridgeheads, also known as bigscales, are a family of small, deep-sea stephanoberyciform fish. The family contains approximately 37 species in five genera; their distribution is worldwide, but ridgeheads are absent from the Arctic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea...
family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
(Melamphaidae). The Stephanoberyciformes are mostly uncommon deep-sea species with little, if any, importance to commercial fishery
Fishery
Generally, a fishery is an entity engaged in raising or harvesting fish which is determined by some authority to be a fishery. According to the FAO, a fishery is typically defined in terms of the "people involved, species or type of fish, area of water or seabed, method of fishing, class of boats,...
. They share many morphological similarities with the Beryciformes
Beryciformes
Beryciformes is an order of ray-finned fishes. This is a very poorly understood group of 16 families, 57 genera, and about 219 species. Some people believe that it is probably an artificial assemblage of unrelated taxa that are thrown together for convenience only; there are no convincing...
, their sister order.
Some sources classify their other close relatives, the whalefishes, as a superfamily
Taxonomic rank
In biological classification, rank is the level in a taxonomic hierarchy. Examples of taxonomic ranks are species, genus, family, and class. Each rank subsumes under it a number of less general categories...
herein, named Cetomimoidea. Most taxa traditionally placed here would then be the Stephanoberyciodea.
The families
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
are:
- Melamphaidae – ridgeheads (about 35 species)
- GibberichthyidaeGibberichthyidaeGibberichthyidae, also known as Gibberfishes, are a type of living, vertebrata fish. This fish carries an IUCN Red List status of "Not Evaluated".-References:*http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?search=Gibberichthyidae*http://www.eol.org/pages/5082...
– gibberfishes (2 species) - Stephanoberycidae – pricklefishes (3 species)
- Hispidoberycidae - Bristlyskin (1 species)
Common characteristics include a generally rounded body, a toothless palate
Palate
The palate is the roof of the mouth in humans and other mammals. It separates the oral cavity from the nasal cavity. A similar structure is found in crocodilians, but, in most other tetrapods, the oral and nasal cavities are not truly separate. The palate is divided into two parts, the anterior...
, rather thin skull
Skull
The skull is a bony structure in the head of many animals that supports the structures of the face and forms a cavity for the brain.The skull is composed of two parts: the cranium and the mandible. A skull without a mandible is only a cranium. Animals that have skulls are called craniates...
bones, and a missing orbitosphenoid bone (except for Hispidoberyx).
The gibberfishes on the other hand appear to be closer to whalefishes such as Rondeletia
Rondeletia
Rondeletia is a genus name. It can refer to:* Rondeletia, the redmouth whalefishs* Rondeletia , flowering plants in the madder family...
, as has been proposed time and again. These two groups have - apparently as only living fishes - the mysterious Tominaga's organ. Rondeletia, meanwhile, is suspected to be very close to the velvet whalefish
Velvet whalefish
The velvet whalefish, Barbourisia rufa, is a deep-sea whalefish, the sole known member of its family Barbourisiidae. It is found throughout the tropical and temperate parts of the world's oceans, mainly in the Pacific near Japan and New Zealand, at depths of 300 to 2,000 m...
, Barbourisia rufa.