Notacanthidae

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: Elopomorpha
Ordo: Notacanthiformes
Familia: Notacanthidae
Genera: Lipogenys - Notacanthus - Polyacanthonotus

References

* Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2006. FishBase, version (02/2006). [1]

Vernacular names
Deutsch: Dornrückenaale
English: Spiny eel
Polski: Łuskaczowate

The deep-sea spiny eels are a family, Notacanthidae, of fishes found worldwide below 125 metres (410 ft), and going as deep as 3,500 metres (11,500 ft).

Their bodies of deep sea spiny eels are greatly elongated, though more tapered than in true eels. The caudal fin is small or nonexistent, while the anal fin is lengthy, as long as half of the total body length. They feed on animals attached to or living on the sea floor, such as sea anemones, echinoderms, molluscs, and worms.[2]

Although they are not true eels, these fish do have a similar leptocephalus larva. However, while the larvae of true eels are about 5-10% of the length of the adult, those of deep sea spiny eels can grow considerably larger than the adult, and shrink when they develop into their final form. Thus, while adults range from 20 centimetres (7.9 in) to 1.2 metres (3.9 ft) in length, larvae of up to 1.8 metres (5.9 ft) have been recorded.[2]

Species

There are eleven species in three genera:[1]

* Genus Lipogenys
o Lipogenys gillii Goode & Bean, 1895
* Genus Notacanthus
o Notacanthus abbotti Fowler, 1934
o Shortfin spiny eel, Notacanthus bonaparte Risso, 1840
o Snubnosed spiny eel, Notacanthus chemnitzii Bloch, 1788
o Notacanthus indicus Lloyd, 1909
o Spiny-back eel, Notacanthus sexspinis Richardson, 1846
o Notacanthus spinosus Garman, 1899
* Genus Polyacanthonotus
o Polyacanthonotus africanus (Gilchrist & von Bonde, 1924)
o Longnose tapirfish, Polyacanthonotus challengeri (Vaillant, 1888)
o Polyacanthonotus merretti Sulak, Crabtree & Hureau, 1984
o Smallmouth spiny eel, Polyacanthonotus rissoanus (De Filippi & Verany, 1857)

References

1. ^ a b Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2009). "Notacanthidae" in FishBase. January 2009 version.
2. ^ a b McCosker, John F. (1998). Paxton, J.R. & Eschmeyer, W.N.. ed. Encyclopedia of Fishes. San Diego: Academic Press. p. 86. ISBN 0-12-547665-5.

* Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2006). "Notacanthidae" in FishBase. January 2006 version.