Beryciformes

Beryciformes
Temporal range: 100.5–0 Ma Late Cretaceous to Recent
Beryx decadactylus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Superorder: Acanthopterygii
Order: Beryciformes
Regan, 1909
Type species
Beryx decadactylus[1]
(G. Cuvier, 1829)
Families
Synonyms

The Beryciformes /ˈbɛrɪsɪfɔːrmiːz/ are a poorly-understood order of carnivorous ray-finned fishes consisting of 7 families, 30 genera, and 161 species.[2] They feed on small fish and invertebrates. Beyond this, little is known about the biology of most member species because of their nocturnal habits and deepwater habitats.[3] All beryciform species are marine and most live in tropical to temperate, deepwater environments. Most live on the continental shelf and continental slope, with some species being found as deep as 2,000 m (6,600 ft).[4] Some species move closer to the surface at night,[5] while others live entirely in shallow water and are nocturnal, hiding in rock crevices and caves during the day. Several species are mesopelagic and bathypelagic. Beryciformes' bodies are deep and mildly compressed, typically with large eyes that help them see in darker waters. Colors range from red to yellow and brown to black, and sizes range from 8–61 cm (3.1–24.0 in).[4] Member genera include the alfonsinos, squirrelfishes, flashlight fishes, fangtooth fishes, spinyfins, pineconefishes, redfishes, roughies, and slimeheads. A number of member species are caught commercially, including the alfonsino, the splendid alfonsino, and the orange roughy, the latter being much more economically important. Some species have bioluminescent bacteria contained in pockets of skin or in light organs near the eyes, including the anomalopids and monocentrids.[3]

  1. ^ "Beryx decadactylus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 24 January 2006.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference fishbase was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference grzimek was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b Bray, Dianne J. "Order Beryciformes". Fishes of Australia. Museums Victoria.
  5. ^ Paxton, John R. (1998). Paxton, J.R.; Eschmeyer, W.N. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Fishes. San Diego: Academic Press. pp. 160–163. ISBN 0-12-547665-5.