Beardfish
| Beardfishes | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Stout Beardfish, (P. nobilis) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Polymixiiformes D. E. Rosen & Patterson, 1969 |
| Family: | Polymixiidae T. N. Gill, 1862 |
| Genus: | Polymixia R. T. Lowe, 1838 |
The beardfishes consist of a single extant genus (Polymixia) in a small family (Polymixiidae) of deep-sea marine ray-finned fish named for their pair of long hyoid barbels. At present they are classified in their own order Polymixiiformes,[1] but as Nelson says, "few groups have been shifted back and forth as frequently as this one".[2] For instance, they have previously been classified as belonging to the Beryciformes. They are of little economic importance.[3]
They are found in tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic, Indian and western Pacific Ocean. They are bottom-dwelling fish, found down to about 800 metres (2,600 ft) depth. Most are relatively small fish, although one species is over 40 centimetres (16 in) in length.[3]
Classification
There are currently 10 recognized species in this genus:[4]
- Polymixia berndti C. H. Gilbert, 1905 (Pacific beardfish)
- Polymixia busakhini Kotlyar, 1993 (Busakhin's beardfish)
- Polymixia fusca Kotthaus, 1970
- Polymixia japonica Günther, 1877 (Silver eye)
- Polymixia longispina S. M. Deng, G. Q. Xiong & H. X. Zhan, 1983
- Polymixia lowei Günther, 1859 (Beardfish)
- Polymixia nobilis R. T. Lowe, 1838 (Stout beardfish)
- Polymixia salagomeziensis Kotlyar, 1991
- Polymixia sazonovi Kotlyar, 1992
- Polymixia yuri Kotlyar, 1982
Fossil Genera
In addition to the extant Polymixia, there are several fossil genera known.
Timeline of genera
References
- ↑ Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2006). "Polymixiiformes" in FishBase. February 2006 version.
- ↑ Joseph S. Nelson. Fishes of the World. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0-471-54713-1.
- 1 2 Paxton, John R. (1998). Paxton, J.R. & Eschmeyer, W.N., ed. Encyclopedia of Fishes. San Diego: Academic Press. p. 161. ISBN 0-12-547665-5.
- ↑ Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2012). Species of Polymixia in FishBase. April 2012 version.
- Sepkoski, Jack (2002). "A compendium of fossil marine animal genera". Bulletins of American Paleontology 364: 560. Retrieved 2011-05-17.
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