Ophidioidei is one of two suborders in the order Ophidiiformes, the cusk eels, viviparous brotulas and pearlfishes. The main distinction from the suborder Bythitoidei is that the Ophidioidei are oviparous, other features include having a caudal fin which is joined to both the anal fin and the dorsal fin forming an even combined fin which tapers to a point, a lack of an external intromittent organ in males and the anterior nostril is placed high above the mouth.[2]
| Ophidioidei Temporal range:
| |
|---|---|
| |
| Ophidion barbatum | |
| |
| Encheliophis boraborensis inside of a sea cucumber | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Ophidiiformes |
| Suborder: | Ophidioidei Garman, 1899[1] |
Families
editThe following families are classified in the suborder Ophidioidei:[2][3][4]
- Family Acanthonidae Wong & Chen, 2024 (deepsea cusk-eels)
- Family Brotulidae Swainson, 1838 (bearded cusk-eels)
- Family Ophidiidae Rafinesque, 1810 (cusk-eels)
- Family Carapidae Poey, 1867 (pearlfishes)
References
edit- ^ Richard van der Laan; William N. Eschmeyer & Ronald Fricke (2014). "Family-group names of recent fishes". Zootaxa. 3882 (2): 1–230.
- ^ a b Joseph S. Nelson; Terry C. Grande & Mark V. H. Wilson (2016). Fishes of the World. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 315–316. ISBN 1-119-22081-5.
- ^ Wong, Man-Kwan; Chen, Wei-Jen (2024-10-01). "Exploring the phylogeny and depth evolution of cusk eels and their relatives (Ophidiiformes: Ophidioidei)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 199 108164. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2024.108164. ISSN 1055-7903.
- ^ Fricke, R.; Eschmeyer, W. N.; Van der Laan, R. (2025). "ESCHMEYER'S CATALOG OF FISHES: CLASSIFICATION". California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 2025-02-10.