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 leptocephalic, 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 Genus ?†Dinelops Woodward, 1907 Family †Anaethaliidae Gaudant 1968 [Anaethalionidae Gaudant 1967] Genus †Daitingichthys Arratia 1987 Genus †Anaethalion White 1938 [Aethalion von Münster 1842 non Lepeletier & Serville 1828] Genus †Holcolepis von der Marck 1868 [Macrolepis von der Marck 1863 non Rafinesque 1815; Rhabdolepis von der Marck 1863 non Troschel 1857; Petalolepis Geints 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 [Esocelops Woodward 1901] 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 (ladyfish, tenpounders) 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 [Hyptius Costa 1864] 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 [Helops Müller 1835 non Brandt & Ratzeburg 1833 non Agassiz 1846 non Browne 1789; Ellops Minding 1832 non Gistel 1848; Alloelops (Nybelin 1979); Elops (Alloelops) Nybelin 1979; Elops (Gularus) Whitley 1940; Gularus (Whitley 1940); Mugilomorus Lacépède 1803; Trichonotus Rafinesque 1815 non Bloch & S Schneider 1801; Harengus Catesby 1771 non Geoffroy 1767 non Klein 1775 ex Walbaum 1792 non De Garsault 1764] (seven species, one of which was described in 2010) Family Megalopidae Jordan 1882 (Tarpons) Genus †Broweria de Beaufort, 1926 Genus †Elopoides Wenz 1965 Genus †Paratarpon Bardack 1970 Genus †Promegalops Casier 1966 Genus †Protarpon Forey 1973 Genus †Sedenhorstia White & MoyThomas 1941 [Microcoelia Marck 1863 non Guenee 1852 non Lindley 1830 non Agardh 1876] Genus †Starrias Jordan 1925 Genus Megalops Lacépède 1803 [Amia Browne 1756 ex Browne 1789 non Gronow 1763 ex Gray 1854 non Meuschen 1781 non Linnaeus 1766; Brisbania de Castelnau 1878; Cyprinodon Hamilton 1822 non Lacépède 1803; Oculeus Commerson ex Lacépède 1803; Tarpon Jordan & Evermann 1896] (two species)
Timeline of genera
"Megalopiformes"
References
External links The inshore grand slam Article about bonefish, ladyfish and tarpon.