| Pigfishes and horsefishes | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Congiopodus torvus | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Scorpaeniformes |
| Suborder: | Scorpaenoidei |
| Family: | Congiopodidae T. N. Gill, 1889 [1] |
| Genera | |
see text | |
Congiopodidae, commonly known as pigfishes, horsefishes and racehorses, is a family of ray-finned fish classified with in the order Scorpaeniformes. These fishes are native to the Southern Hemisphere.
Congiopodidae was first formally recognised as a family by the American biologist Theodore Gill in 1889. [1] The 5th edition of Fishes of the World classifies the family within the suborder Scorpaenoidei which in turn is classified within the order Scorpaeniformes. [2] Other authorities place the Scorpaenoidei within the Perciformes. [3] The monophyly of the Congiopodidae as set out in Fishes of the World is not universally agreed upon. Some authorities classify the genus Perryena in its own subfamily, Perryeninae, in the stonefish family Synanceiidae. [4] The genera Alertichthys and Zanclorhynchus are classified within the family Zanclorhynchidae [5] leaving Congiopodus as the only genus in the monotypic Congiopodidae. [6] The name of the family is based on that of the genus Congiopodus, the derivation of which was not explained by its author, the English naturalist George Perry, but may be a combination of the Greek gongulos, meaning "round", and podus, which means "foot", maybe referring to the roundish pelvic fins of the type species C. percatus (now C. torvus). [7]
Congiopodidae contains the following 4 genera: [2]
Congiopididae is characterised by having no scales on the body and head, although the skin may have a grainy texture. There is one nostril on each side of the relatively long snout [8] with a small mouth. [9] The bill slit is rather small and is located above the base of the pectoral fin and the lateral line is typically well developed. The dorsal fin is continuous, except in Zanclorhynchus, and has between 8 and 21 spines and 8 and 14 soft rays. The anal fin contains between 0 and 3 spines and 5 to 10soft rays. The maximum length is 80 cm (31 in). [8]
Congiopids are found in the Southern Hemisphere where they live on the bottom of shallow temperate and sub-Antarctic seas, at depths of up to 600 metres (2,000 ft). [9]
One Congiopodid, Congiopodus peruvianus, is found in the shallow South American waters. In this species the adult's dorsal fin is relatively shorter than the juvenile's fin, but they all resemble yellow and orange dead tree leaves. [10]
The red velvetfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, it is the only species in the monotypic genus Gnathanacanthus and monogeneric family Gnathanacanthidae. This species is endemic to the inshore waters of western and southern Australia.
Synanceiinae is a subfamily of venomous ray-finned fishes, waspfishes, which is classified as part of the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes and their relatives. These fishes are found in the Indo-Pacific oceans. They are primarily marine, though some species are known to live in fresh or brackish waters. The various species of this family are known informally as stonefish, stinger, stingfish and ghouls. Its species are known to have the most potent neurotoxins of all the fish venoms, secreted from glands at the base of their needle-like dorsal fin spines. The vernacular name, stonefish, for some of these fishes derives from their behaviour of camouflaging as rocks. The type species of the family is the estuarine stonefish.
The Alert pigfish is a species of marine ray finned fish, a pigfish belonging to the family Congiopodidae. It is the only species in the monotypic genus Alertichthys. This species is endemic to the waters around New Zealand.
The Australian prowfishes are a small family, the Pataecidae, of ray-finned fishes classified within the order Scorpaeniformes. Australian prowfishes are distinguished by a long dorsal fin that begins far forward on the head, forming a "prow" shape, and extends all the way to the caudal fin. They lack scales and pelvic fins.
Little velvetfishes or simply velvetfishes are a family, the Aploactinidae, of marine ray-finned fishes classified within the order Scorpaeniformes. They are small fish that have skin with a velvet texture. They live on the sea bottom close to the shore, at depths of up to 100 metres (330 ft). They are found in the Indo-Pacific region.
Apistinae, the wasp scorpionfishes, is a subfamily of venomous, marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes and related species. These fishes are native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean.
Bathyaploactis is a genus of marine ray-finned fish, velvetfish belonging to the family Aploactinidae. The genus is endemic to the waters around Australia.
Erisphex is a genus of marine ray-finned fish, velvetfishes belonging to the family Aploactinidae. The genus is found in the Indian and western Pacific oceans.
Kanekonia is a genus of marine ray-finned fish, velvetfishes belonging to the family Aploactinidae. The genus is found in the western Pacific and eastern Indian oceans.
Paraploactis is a genus of marine ray-finned fish, velvetfishes belonging to the family Aploactinidae. The genus is found the Indo-Pacific.
The deceitful velvetfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a velvetfish, belonging to the family Aploactinidae. This species is endemic to the oceans around Australia. This species is the only known member of its genus.
Prosoproctus is a genus of velvetfish native to the South China Sea where it occurs at depths of from 69 to 82 metres. The only known member of the genus is Prosoproctus pataecus.
Ptarmus is a genus of marine ray-finned fish, velvetfishes belonging to the family Aploactinidae. This genus is endemic to the waters of the western Indian Ocean.
Sthenopus is a monotypic genus of marine ray-finned fish, a velvetfish belonging to the family Aploactinidae. It is found in the western Pacific Ocean where it is known from China and Thailand. The only known member of this genus is Sthenopus mollis.
Xenaploactis is a genus of marine ray-finned fish, velvetfishes belonging to the family Aploactinidae. This genus is found in the western Pacific Ocean and the eastern Indian Ocean.
Congiopodus is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Congiopodidae, the pigfishes or horsefishes. These fishes are found in the southern Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
Easchmeyer nexus is a species of marine ray-finned fish; it is the only species in the monotypic genus Eschmeyer and monogeneric family Eschmeyeridae. This fish is only known from the Pacific Ocean, near Fiji.
Ocosia is a genus of ray-finned fishes, waspfishes belonging to the subfamily Tetraroginae, which is classified as part of the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes and their relatives. These fish are found in the Indian Ocean and western Pacific Ocean.
Choridactylini, commonly known as stingfishes, stingers or ghouls, is a tribe of venomous ray-finned fishes classified within the subfamily Synanceiinae, the stonefishes, part of the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes and their relatives. These fishes are found in the Indo-Pacific.
The smooth horsefish is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Congiopodidae, the horsefishes or pigfishes. It is found in the waters off Southern Africa.
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