| Ephippidae Temporal range: | |
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| Platax teira | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Acanthuriformes |
| Family: | Ephippidae Bleeker, 1859 [1] |
| Genera | |
see text | |
Ephippidae is a family of percomorph fishes, the spadefishes, in the order Moroniformes. These fishes are found in the tropical and temperate oceans of the world, except for the central Pacific.
Ephippidae was first proposed as a family in 1859 by the Dutch herpetologist and ichthyologist Pieter Bleeker. [1] The 5th edition of the Fishes of the World classifies this family in the order Moroniformes with the Moronidae and Drepaneidae. [2] Other authorities place this family alongside the Drepaneidae in the order Ephippiformes with the Moronidae classified as incertae sedis in the series Eupercaria. [3] Other authorities classify all three families in the Moroniformes sensuFishes of the World in the Acanthuriformes. [4]
Ephippidae contains the following genera, 8 extant and 3 extinct († means extinct): [5] [6] [7]
The extinct genus Exellia is classified within the Ephippidae by some authorities, other authorities place it in the family Exellidae. [8]
Ephippidae spadefishes have deep, oval-shaped, laterally compressed bodies with a short head and small terminal mouth. There are bands of brush like teeth on the jaws but there are no teeth on the roof of the mouth. The preoperculum has a finely serrated margin. There is a single dorsal fin which has 9 spines and between 21 and 28 soft rays, with the spiny portion of the fin being low. The front part of the soft part of the dorsal fin and the anal fin are elongated. The anal fin has 3 spines and between 16 and 24 soft rays. The pectoral fins are short and the pelvic fins are long and are beneath the pectoral fins. The caudal fin is slightly concave, They have complete lateral line and the head, body and most of the fins are scaled. Young are frequently marked with black bars. [9] The largest species is the Atlantic spadefish (Chaetodipterus faber) which has a maximum published total length of 91 cm (36 in) while the smallest is the threadfin scat ( Rhinoprenes pentanemus ) which has a maximum published total length of 15 cm (5.9 in). [5]
Ephippidae fishes are found throughout the warmer waters of the world but are absent from the central Pacific. [9] Ephippidae spadefishes ( Chaetodipterus faber) are the only ephippid found in the western Atlantic Ocean. [10] While Ephippidae spadefishes are common in the western Atlantic from New England to southern Brazil, adult spadefishes are difficult to harvest commercially due to their size and preferred habitats of submerged spaces, despite consumer appeal for its nutrients and quality of flesh. [11]
Ephippidae spadefishes eat algae, benthic and planktonic invertebrates such as sponges, zoantharians, polychaete worms, gorgonians and tunicates. [9] The batfish Platax pinnatus may play the role of a critical functional group in the Great Barrier Reef by eating seaweed that other herbivorous fishes such as parrotfish and surgeonfish will not touch. [12] Overgrowth of seaweed among corals occurs as a result of overfishing of large fish species and inhibits the ability of coral to support life. [13]
Serranidae is a large family of fishes belonging to the order Perciformes. The family contains about 450 species in 65 genera, including the sea basses and the groupers. Although many species are small, in some cases less than 10 cm (3.9 in), the giant grouper is one of the largest bony fishes in the world, growing to 2.7 m in length and 400 kg (880 lb) in weight. Representatives of this group live in tropical and subtropical seas worldwide.
Pomacentridae is a family of ray-finned fish, comprising the damselfishes and clownfishes. This family were formerly placed in the order Perciformes but are now regarded as being incertae sedis in the subseries Ovalentaria in the clade Percomorpha. They are primarily marine, while a few species inhabit freshwater and brackish environments. They are noted for their hardy constitutions and territoriality. Many are brightly colored, so they are popular in aquaria.
Agonidae is a family of small, bottom-dwelling, cold-water marine fish. Common names for members of this family include poachers, Irish lords, sea ravens, alligatorfishes, starsnouts, hooknoses, and rockheads. They are notable for having elongated bodies covered by scales modified into bony plates, and for using their large pectoral fins to move in short bursts. The family includes about 59 species in some 25 genera, some of which are quite widespread.
The Moorish idol is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Zanclidae. It is the only member of the monospecific genus Zanclus and the only extant species within the Zanclidae. This species is found on reefs in the Indo-Pacific region.
The orbicular batfish, also known as the cooper batfish, circular batfish, orbiculate batfish, round batfish, narrow-banded batfish or orbic batfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ephippidae, the spadefishes and batfishes. This species is found in the Indo-Pacific but has been recorded outside its native range in the western Atlantic Ocean.
The Moronidae is a family of percomorph fishes, commonly called the temperate basses, in the order Moroniformes. These fishes are found in the freshwaters of North America and the coastal waters of the North Atlantic.
The Carangidae are a family of ray-finned fish that includes the jacks, pompanos, jack mackerels, runners, trevallies, and scads. It is the largest of the six families included within the order Carangiformes. Some authorities classify it as the only family within that order but molecular and anatomical studies indicate that there is a close relationship between this family and the five former Perciform families which make up the Carangiformes.
Drepane is a genus of marine and brackish water ray-finned fishes, known commonly as the sicklefishes. It is the only genus in the monotypic percomorph family Drepaneidae. These fish occur in the Indian and western Pacific Oceans, and in the eastern Atlantic near Africa.
The Atlantic spadefish is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ephippidae, the spadefishes. It is the symbol of the North Carolina Aquariums.
Lutjanidae or snappers are a family of perciform fish, mainly marine, but with some members inhabiting estuaries, feeding in fresh water. The family includes about 113 species. Some are important food fish. One of the best known is the red snapper.
Platax pinnatus, also known as the longfin batfish, pinnate spadefish, pinnate batfish, pinnatus batfish, dusky batfish, shaded batfish, or red-faced batfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ephippidae, the spadefishes and batfishes. This species is found in the western Pacific Ocean and occasionally is kept in marine aquariums.
Platax teira, also known as the teira batfish, longfin batfish, longfin spadefish, or round faced batfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ephippidae, the spadefishes and batfishes. This species is found in the Indo-West Pacific.
Platax is a genus of Indo-Pacific, reef-associated fish belonging to the family Ephippidae. There are currently five known extant species generally accepted to belong to the genus. They are one of the fish taxa commonly known as "batfish".
Chaetodipterus is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Ephippidae, the spadefishes. These fishes are found in the Atlantic and eastern Pacific Oceans.
Proteracanthus is a monospecific genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ephippidae, the spadefishes and batfishes. The only species in the genus is Proeracanthus sarissophorus which occurs in coral reefs around Malaysia, Borneo, and Sumatra. This species is also known as the harpoon spadefish, or in Malaysia as drummer, knightfish, rudderfish or sea chub. This species grows to a length of 32.5 centimetres (12.8 in) SL.
Platax batavianus, the humpback batfish, Batavian batfish, batfish, humped batfish, hump-headed hatfish, moonfish or zebra batfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish in the family Ephippidae, the spadefishes and batfishes. They are found in coral reefs around the Indo-Pacific region. Adults can grow up to 65 centimetres (26 in) at maximum.
Drepane punctata, the butterfish, concertinafish, jetto, peppercorn, sickle-fish, silver moonfish, spotted batfish, spotted sicklefish, sicklefish or spotted spadefish, is a species of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Drepaneidae, the sicklefishes. This fish is found in the Indo-Pacific.
Moroniformes is an order of ray-finned fishes in the series Percomorpha.
The West African spadefish is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ephippidae, the spadefishes. This species is found over sandy and muddy bottoms at depths of 10 to 50 m in the eastern Atlantic Ocean from Senegal to Angola, including Cape Verde. The West African spadefish reaches a maximum total length of 31 cm (12 in), although 20 cm (7.9 in) is more typical. This species was first formally described in 1895 by the Austrian ichthyologist Franz Steindachner with its type locality given as Freetown in Liberia. Its specific name honours a Dr Lippe who collected the type while on a voyage on the SM Helgoland.
Platax boersii, the golden spadefish or Boers’ batfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ephippidae, the spadefishes and bay fishes. This species is found in the Indo-West Pacific.
| Authority control databases: National |
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