Luvarus imperialis

Cladus: Eukaryota
Supergroup: Opisthokonta
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Superclassis: Osteichthyes
Classis: Actinopterygii
Subclassis: Neopterygii
Infraclassis: Teleostei
Superordo: Acanthopterygii
Ordo: Perciformes
Subordo: Acanthuroidei
Familia: Luvaridae
Genus: Luvarus
Species: L. imperialis

The louvar or luvar, Luvarus imperialis, is a species of perciform fish, the only extant species in the genus Luvarus and family Luvaridae. Other species and genera are only known from fossils dating back to the Paleogene. It is closely related to the surgeonfish. The juvenile form has a pair of spines near the base of the tail, like the surgeonfish, though they are lost in the adult.

It is a big ellipsoidal fish, growing to two meters in length. It is pink in color and possesses a characteristic bulging forehead.

It is found in surface waters of temperate and tropical oceans throughout the world. It feeds on jellyfish, ctenophores and other soft-bodied planktonic animals.

Extinct Louvar Taxa

* Luvarus necopinatus
* Avitoluvarus sp
* Kushlukia sp (sister taxon of Luvaridae)

References

* "Luvarus imperialis". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=172485. Retrieved 18 April 2006.
* Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2006). "Luvaridae" in FishBase. February 2006 version.
* Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2006). "Luvarus imperialis" in FishBase. February 2006 version.
* "Louvar". Australian Museum Fish Site. http://www.amonline.net.au/fishes/fishfacts/fish/limperialis.htm. Retrieved 31 March 2006.
* "Phylogenetic Revision of the Fish Families Luvaridae and †Kushlukiidae (Acanthuroidei), with a New Genus and Two New Species of Eocene Luvarids" [1]