Subphyllum Vertebrata
Subgrade Teleostomi
Infraclass Chondrostei
Order Acipenseriformes
ACIPENSERIFORMES.
(Sturgeon, 23 spp).
*Anadromus and Freswater, North hemisphere.
*Five rows of bony scutes on body
*Four barbels in front of the mouth.
*Mouth inferior and protrusible.
*Gill rakers fewer than 50.
*Teeth absent in adults.
*Swimming bladder large.
Subphyllum Vertebrata
Subgrade Teleostomi
Infraclass Chondrostei
Order Polyodontiformes
POLYODONTIDAE.
(Paddlefishes, 2 spp).
*Freswater, China and USA.
*Snout paddlelike.
*Body naked except for few scales on caudal peduncle.
*Minute barbels on snout.
*Teeth minute.
*Spiracle
present.
Subphyllum Vertebrata
Subgrade Teleostomi
Infraclass Neopterygii
Division Ginglymodi
Order Lepisosteiformes
LEPISOSTEIDAE.
(Gars , 7 spp).
*Freshwater, rare marine. North, central America and Cuba.
*Body and jaws enlongate.
*Mouth with needlelike teeth.
*Abbreviated heterocercal tail.
*Heavy ganoid scales.
*Dorsal fin far back with few rays.
*No gular or interopecular.
*Swim bladder vascularized.
Subphyllum Vertebrata
Subgrade Teleostomi
Infraclass Chondrostei
Order Polyodontiformes
POLYODONTIDAE.
(Paddlefishes, 2 spp).
*Freswater, China and USA.
*Snout paddlelike.
*Body naked except for few scales on caudal peduncle.
*Minute barbels on snout.
*Teeth minute.
*Spiracle present.
Subphyllum Vertebrata
Subgrade Teleostomi
Infraclass Neopterygii
Division Halecostomi
Subdivision Halecomorphi
Order Amiiformes
Suborder Amioidei
AMIIDAE.
(Bowfin , 1 species).
*Freshwater, East North America.
*Caudal fin abbreviates heterocercal.
*Dorsal fin base long.
*Swimming bladder can function as a long.
*90 cm.
*Feeding mechanism is different to the other fishes.
Subphyllum Vertebrata
Subgrade Teleostomi
Infraclass Neopterygii
Division Halecostomi
Subdivision Teleostei
Infradivision Osteoglssomorpha
Order Osteoglossiformes
OSTEOGLOSSIDAE.
(Bonytongue, 4 spp).
*Freswater, circumtropical areas.
*Pelvic fins distinctly behind base of pectoral fins.
*Some possess a supabranchial organ.
*Can utilize atmospheric air.
*60-100 vertebrae.
*Carnivorous or omnivorous.
*Mandibular barbels present and 10-17 branchiostegal rays in the subfamily Osteoglossinae.
Subphyllum Vertebrata
Subgrade Teleostomi
Infraclass Neopterygii
Division Halecostomi
Subdivision Teleostei
Infradivision Osteoglssomorpha
Order Osteoglossiformes
MORMYRIDAE.
(Bonytongue, ± 190 spp).
*Freswater, Tropical Africa and Nile.
*Anal, caudal and pelvic fins present.
*Caudal peduncle narrow.
*Caudal fin deeply forked.
*Teeth present on paasphenoid and tongue.
*Dorsal fin rays 12-91.
*Anal rays 20-70.
*Mouth extremately variable, in general a developed proboscislike snout.
Subphyllum Vertebrata
Subgrade Teleostomi
Infraclass Neopterygii
Division Halecostomi
Subdivision Teleostei
Infradivision Osteoglssomorpha
Order Osteoglossiformes
PANTODONTIDAE
(Butterflyfish, 1 species).
*Freshwater; Tropical Africa.
*Pelvic fin locatedunder the pectoral fins.
*Swimming bladder can act as a n air-breathing organ.
*Eight branchiostegal rays.
*Greatly enlarged pectoral fins.
*Suboperculum absent.
*Interoperculum sometimes absent.
*Length up to 10 cm.
Subphyllum Vertebrata
Subgrade Teleostomi
Infraclass Neopterygii
Division Halecostomi
Subdivision Teleostei
Infradivision Elopomorpha
Order Elopiformes
ELOPIDAE.
(Tenpounders, 5 spp).
*Mainly marine, rarely brackish and freshwater..
*Body rounded and little lateral compress.
*Mouth terminal.
*Dorsal fin rays usually 20-25.
*Lateral line tubes unbranched.
*Lateral line scales 95-120.
*Insertion of pelvic fin beneath or posterior to origin of dorsal fin.
Subphyllum Vertebrata
Subgrade Teleostomi
Infraclass Neopterygii
Division Halecostomi
Subdivision Teleostei
Infradivision Elopomorpha
Order Elopiformes
albulidae
(Bonefish, 4 species).
*Marine, tropical seas, rare brackfish and freswater.
*Dorsal fin base short.
*16-21 rays in dorsal fin.
*Vertebrae 69-80.
*Lateral line scales 66-84.
*Maxilla toothless.
Subphyllum Vertebrata
Subgrade Teleostomi
Infraclass Neopterygii
Division Halecostomi
Subdivision Teleostei
Infradivision Elopomorpha
Order Anguilliformes
Suborder Anguilloidei
Infraorder Anguilloidea
ANGUILLIDAE.
(Freshwater eels, 16 spp).
*Usually catadromous, tropical and temperate.
*They originate in theSargasso sea area.
*Adults have only very rrely been taken in the open ocean after they leave the estuaries on their spawning migration.
*They travel at 2000 meters deep in the ocean to the breeding sites.
*No scales.
Swimming bladder present.
Subphyllum Vertebrata
Subgrade Teleostomi
Infraclass Neopterygii
Division Halecostomi
Subdivision Teleostei
Infradivision Elopomorpha
Order Anguilliformes
Suborder Anguilloidei
Infraorder Anguilloidea
Muraenidae
(Moray eels, ±110 species).
*Marine, tropical and temperate seas.
*Gill openings restricted to small roundish lateral openings. Lateral line pores on head but not on body.
*Branchial pores.
*Fourth branchial arch supporting pharyngeal jaws.
*No scales.
*Pectorals absent.
*Most with fanglike teeth.
Subphyllum Vertebrata
Subgrade Teleostomi
Infraclass Neopterygii
Division Halecostomi
Subdivision Teleostei
Infradivision Elopomorpha
Order Anguilliformes
Suborder Anguilloidei
Infraorder Congroidea
CONGRIDAE
(Conger eels, ± 109 spp).
*Marine, Atlantic, Indian and Pacific.
*Frontals fused.
*Body scaleless.
*Pectoral fin usually present.
Subphyllum Vertebrata
Subgrade Teleostomi
Infraclass Neopterygii
Division Halecostomi
Subdivision Teleostei
Infradivision Clupeomorpha
Order Clupeiformes
Suborder Clupeoidei
CLUPEIDAE
(Herrings, sardines, men-hadens and shads ± 150 spp).
*Primarely marine, some freshwater and anadromous.
*Lateral line existing on a few scales behind the head in some species.
*Head scaleless.
*Dorsal and pelvic fins rarely absents.
*Mouth inferior, superior or terminal.
*Teeth small or absent.
Subphyllum Vertebrata
Subgrade Teleostomi
Infraclass Neopterygii
Division Halecostomi
Subdivision Teleostei
Infradivision Clupeomorpha
Order Clupeiformes
Suborder Clupeoidei
engraulidae
(Anchovies, ± 139 species).
*Marine, occasional freshwater.
*Tip of the snout everhanging the mouth.
*Upper jaw extending well beyond eye.
*Teeth on jaw absent to well developed.
*Abdominal scutes.
*Filter feeders on zooplankton.
Subphyllum Vertebrata
Subgrade Teleostomi
Infraclass Neopterygii
Division Halecostomi
Subdivision Teleostei
Infradivision Euteleostei
Superorder Ostariophysi
Series Anotophysi
Order Gonorynchiformes
Suborder Chanoidei
CHANIDAE
(Milkfish, 1 especies).
*Body compressed.
*Mouth terminal.
*Non-protractile upper jaw.
*Cycloid scales.
*Swim bladder present.
Subphyllum Vertebrata
Subgrade Teleostomi
Infraclass Neopterygii
Division Halecostomi
Subdivision Teleostei
Infradivision Euteleostei
Superorder Ostariophysi
Series Otophysi
Order Cypriniformes
Superfamily Cyprinoidea
CYPRINIDAE
(Minnows, carps ± 2070 spp).
*Freshwater, North america, Africa and Eurasia.
*Pharyngeal teeth in one to three rows, never more than eight teeth per row.
*Lips usually thin.
*Spinelike rays in dorsal fin in some.
*Upper jaw usually bordered only by premaxilla.
Subphyllum Vertebrata
Subgrade Teleostomi
Infraclass Neopterygii
Division Halecostomi
Subdivision Teleostei
Infradivision Euteleostei
Superorder Ostariophysi
Series Otophysi
Order Characiformes
characidae
(Tetras, pirahnas, blind cavefish ± 841 spp).
*Freshwater, Texas, Mexico, central and South America and Africa.
*Large and diversified family.
*The Amazon pirahnas Serrasalmus are potentially dangerous.
*Some lack the adippose fin characteristic of the order.
Subphyllum Vertebrata
Subgrade Teleostomi
Infraclass Neopterygii
Division Halecostomi
Subdivision Teleostei
Infradivision Euteleostei
Superorder Ostariophysi
Series Otophysi
Order Siluriformes
ICTALURIDAE
(North America freswater catfish, carps ± 45 spp).
*Freshwater, from Canada to Guatemala.
*Eight barbels on head, two nasal, two maxillary, four chin.
*Skin naked.
*Dorsal and pectoral fins with spine on leading edge.
*Dorsal usually with six soft rays.
*Palate toothless.
*Three species blind.
Subphyllum Vertebrata
Subgrade Teleostomi
Infraclass Neopterygii
Division Halecostomi
Subdivision Teleostei
Infradivision Euteleostei
Superorder Ostariophysi
Series Otophysi
Order Siluriformes
loricariidae
(Suckermouth armored catfish ± 450 spp).
*Freshwater, Costa Rica, Panama and South America.
*Body with bony plates. Rarely naked.
*Mouth ventral withouth noticeable barbels.
*Ventral lips papillose.
*Adipose fin, when present, with a spine at anterior border.
*Relative long intestine.