Elopiformes
The Elopiformes 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.
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.
Classification
Although many fossil forms are known, the order is relatively small today, containing just two genera and nine species:- Order Elopiformes Gosline 1960
- * Family †Anaethaliidae Gaudant 1968
- ** Genus †Daitingichthys Arratia 1987
- ** Genus †Anaethalion White 1938
- ** Genus †Holcolepis von der Marck 1868
- * Suborder Elopoidei
- ** Genus †Antofagastaichthys Arratia 1986
- ** Genus †Arratiaelops Taverne 1999
- ** Genus †Coryphaenopsis Frič & Bayer 1902
- ** Genus †Ctenodentelops Forey et al. 2003
- ** Genus †Echinelops Murray & Hoşgör 2012
- ** Genus †Ectasis Jordan & Gilbert 1919
- ** Genus †Elopidarum
- ** Genus †Elopsomolos Arratia 2000
- ** Genus †Eurygnathus Agassiz 1845 non Blackburn 1888 non Davis 1887 non Wollaston 1854
- ** Genus †Goulmimichthys Cavin 1995
- ** Genus †Hypsospondylus Gorjanovic-Kramberger 1885
- ** Genus †Irenichthys Jakovlev 1968
- ** Genus †Laminospondylus Springer 1957
- ** Genus †Tingitanichthys Taverne 1996
- ** Genus †Paraelops Silva Santos 1971
- ** Genus †Ichthyemidion Poyato-Ariza 1995
- ** Family †Protelopidae de Saint Seine 1949
- *** Genus †Eoprotelops Saint-Seine 1949
- *** Genus †Protelops Laube 1885
- ** Family Elopidae Bonaparte 1832/Valenciennes 1847
- *** Genus †Flindersichthys Longman 1932
- *** Genus †Histialosa Gervais 1855
- *** Genus †Lyrolepis Romanowski 1886 non Rechiger 1943
- *** Genus †Nardoelops Taverne & Capasso 2012
- *** Genus †Opisthopteryx Pictet & Humbert 1866
- *** Genus †Palelops Applegate 1970
- *** Genus †Parasyllaemus
- *** Genus †Sauropsidium Costa 1850
- *** Genus †Thrissopteroides von der Marck 1873
- *** Genus †Davichthys Forey 1973
- *** Genus †Naiathaelon Poyato-Ariza & Wenz 1994
- *** Genus Elops Linnaeus 1766 non Bonaparte 1831 non Commerson ex Lacépède 1801
- ** Family Megalopidae Jordan 1882
- *** Genus †Elopoides Wenz 1965
- *** Genus †Paratarpon Bardack 1970
- *** Genus †Promegalops Casier 1966
- *** Genus †Protarpon Forey 1973
- *** Genus †Sedenhorstia White & MoyThomas 1941
- *** Genus †Starrias Jordan 1925
- *** Genus Megalops Lacépède 1803
Timeline of genera
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"Megalopiformes"
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