Zeiformes Zeiformes

Zeiformes - Definition

Zeiforms
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Actinopterygii
Order:Zeiformes
Families

Suborder Zeioidei
Parazenidae
Macrurocyttidae
Zeidae (dories)
Oreosomatidae (oreos)
Grammicolepididae
Suborder Caproidei
Caproidae (boarfishes)

Zeiformes is a small order of marine ray-finned fishes most notable for the dories, a common food fish. The order consists of about 40 species in six families, mostly deep-sea types.

Zeiform bodies are usually thin and deep. Mouths are large, with distensible jaws, and there is no orbitosphenoid. Pelvic fins have 5-10 soft rays and possibly a spine, 5-10 dorsal fin spines and up to 4 anal fin spines.

The classification of the boarfishes (Caproidae) in this order is uncertain, since they have many perciform characters, for instance in the caudal skeleton.

Reference

Copyright 2009 WordIQ.com - Privacy Policy  :: Terms of Use  :: Contact Us  :: About Us
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the this Wikipedia article.