Ordem

Ophidiiformes

  Classe

Teleostei

  No. of Genera in Ref

9

  No. of Species in Ref

37

  Ambiente

Água doce : No | Estuarina : No | Marinhas : Yes

  Aquário

none

  Registo do primeiro fóssil

     

  Nota

Distribution:from tropical to temperate Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, on continental shelves and slopes from 0 to 2000 m (Ref. 6347, 133041 between 65N and 60S.).
Habitat: Pearlfishes are free-living (Echiodon), commensal (Carapus, Onuxodon), or parasitic (Encheliophis, = Jordanicus), living in association with shallow-water invertebrate hosts (holothurians, bivalves, starfishes), largely in coral-dominated communities (Ref. 6347). Diagnosis: (1) passage present on the lateral aspect of the maxilla; (2) canine teeth present on the premaxilla; (3) dorsal margin of the scapula with cartilage; (4) the origin of dilatator opercula is sphenotic; and (5) the anterior dorsal pterygiophore of the dorsal fin is extremely modified (Ohashi, 2018) (Ref. 133041).
Description:Dorsal fin rays shorter than opposite anal rays. Anus of adults and origin of anal fin located behind head and usually under pectoral fin, under vertebrae 1 - 13. Translucent eel-like fishes without scales. Wide gill openings, reaching far forward. Vomerine, palatine and jaw teeth present. No opercular spines. Branchiostegal rays 6-7. No supramaxillary. Vertebrae about 85-145. Vexillum present in larvae. Eggs are pelagic, oval, and slightly over 1 mm in the longest dimension (Ref. 240).
Composition: Hypopleuron caninum moved in from Ophidiidae, Neobythitinae in 2024 (Ref. 133041).

  Etimologia

Greek kara ("head") and apous ("without foot", pelvic fin, which is thoracic in position, if present) (P.Adamicka, pers.comm. 08/09).

  Divisão

Marine

  Grupo reprodutivo

nonguarders

  Nível de actividade típico

  Ref. principal

Markle, D.F. and J.E. Olney 1990

  Coordenador