Ponyfish

Ponyfishes Temporal range: 56–0 Ma PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N Eocene to Present[1]
Eubleekeria splendens
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Perciformes
Family:	Leiognathidae T. N. Gill, 1893
Genera[2]
Aurigequula Equulites Eubleekeria Gazza Karalla Leiognathus Nuchequula Photolateralis [3] Photopectoralis Secutor

The ponyfishes, also known as slipmouths or slimys / slimies, are a small family, Leiognathidae, of fishes in the order Perciformes.^[2] They inhabit marine and brackish waters in the Indian and West Pacific Oceans. They can be used in the preparation of bagoong.

Ponyfishes are small and laterally compressed in shape, with a bland, silvery colouration. They are distinguished by highly extensible mouths, and the presence of a mechanism for locking the spines in the dorsal and anal fins. They also possess a luminous organ in their throats, which projects light through the animal's underside.^[4]

Timeline of genera

References

1. Sepkoski, J. (2002). "A compendium of fossil marine animal genera". Bulletins of American Paleontology 364: 560.
2. Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2015). "Leiognathidae" in FishBase. February 2015 version.
3. Sparks, J.S.; Chakrabarty, P. (2015). "Description of a new genus of ponyfishes (Teleostei: Leiognathidae), with a review of the current generic-level composition of the family". Zootaxa 3947 (2): 181–190. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3947.2.2.
4. Johnson, G.D. & Gill, A.C. (1998). Paxton, J.R. & Eschmeyer, W.N., ed. Encyclopedia of Fishes. San Diego: Academic Press. p. 186. ISBN 0-12-547665-5.