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ORDER IV

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Originally appearing in Volume V26, Page 546 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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ORDER IV .—TELEOSTEI Paired fins non-lobate, the ventrals without baseosts. Mandible suspended from the upper segment of the hyoid See also:arch. Splenial See also:bone absent. Supraoccipital bone See also:present. See also:Heart without See also:muscular conus arteriosus, or with much reduced conus, with one, exceptionally two, rows of valves. See also:Air-See also:bladder, if present, communicating with the dorsal See also:side of the See also:oesophagus or See also:digestive See also:tract, or completely closed. SUB-ORDER I.--MALACOPTERYGII Air bladder, if, present, with a duct. Opercle well See also:developed. See also:Pectoral arch suspended from the See also:skull; mesocoracoid bone present. See also:Fine without spines, the ventrals abdominal (rarely absent). Anterior vertebrae distinct, without Weberian ossicles. Families: Pholidophoridae, Archaeomenidae, Oligopleuridae, Leptolepidae, Elopidae, Albulidae, Mormyridae, Hyodontidae, Notopteridae, Osteoglossidae, Pantodontidae, Ctenothrissidae, Phractolaemidae, Saurodontidae, Chirocentridae, Clupeidae, Chanidae, Salmonidae, Alepocephalidae, Stomiatidae, Gonorhynchidae, Cromeriidae.

Unquestionably the most generalized sub-order, having most incommon with the Holostean ganoids. The first four families, of Triassic to Cretaceous See also:

age, are so closely connected with these Ganoids that their allocation to the Teleosteans must be regarded as provisional. Some of the Pholidophoridae were flying fishes. The Elopidae and Albulidae are also See also:low forms, traced back to the Cretaceous seas, having points in See also:common with the Ganoids (gular See also:plate in the former, conus arteriosus with two rows of valves in the latter). The Mormyridae are among the most extraordinary fishes, and, like the four families which follow in the above See also:list, confined to fresh See also:waters. Other families, like the Chirocentridae, Clupeidae and Salmonidae, are entirely or partly marine, the two last being of See also:great economic importance. The Alepocephalidae and Stomiatidae are restricted to the deep See also:sea. See See also:ANCHOVY, See also:HERRING, See also:MENHADEN, See also:MORMYR, See also:PILCHARD, SALMONIDAE, See also:SHAD and See also:SPRAT. SUB-ORDER II.—OSTARIOPHYSI Air-bladder, if well developed, with a duct. Pectoral arch suspended from the skull; mesocoracoid bone present. Fins without spines, or dorsal and pectoral with a single spine formed by the co-ossification of the segments of an articulated See also:ray. The anterior four vertebrae strongly modified, often co-ossified, and bearing a See also:chain of small bones (so-called Weberian ossicles) connecting the air-bladder with the See also:ear.

Families: Characinidae, Gymnotidae, Cyprinidae, Siluridae, Loricariidae, Aspredinidae. One of the most natural See also:

groups of the class See also:Pisces, as demonstrated by M. Sagemehl in 1885. The Characinidae are the most generalized, although perhaps not directly derived from the Amiid Ganoids, as believed by Sagemehl; they show great variety of See also:form and dentition, and are confined to Central and See also:South See also:America and See also:Africa. The Gymnotidae, which include the so-called electric See also:eel, are closely related to the Characinidae, and occur only in South America. The largest families are the Cyprinidae and Siluridae. With the exception of a few Siluridae, the Ostariophysi are all fresh-See also:water fishes. SUB-ORDER III.—SYMBRANCH II Eel-shaped fishes without paired fins, with the pectoral arch See also:free or suspended from the skull, without mesocoracoid bone, and with the anterior vertebrae distinct, without Weberian ossicles. Gill-openings confluent into a single, ventral slit. Air-bladder absent. Families: Symbranchidae and Amphipnoidae. Like the Apodes, which they resemble in See also:general See also:appearance, these fishes are no doubt derived from some low type with abdominal ventral fins, but whether from the Malacopterygii or the Haplomi we have as yet no data from which to conclude.

Inhabitants of the fresh or brackish waters of south-eastern See also:

Asia, tropical America, See also:Australia and See also:Tasmania. In the cuchia, Amphipnous cuchia, the gills are much reduced, and a See also:respiratory air-See also:sac extends on each side of the See also:body behind the See also:head, communicating with the gill-cavity. - SUB-ORDER IV.—APODES Air-bladder, if present, with a duct. Praemaxillary bones absent; the maxillaries, if present, separated on the median See also:line in front by the coalescent ethmoid and vomer. Pectoral arch, if present, not connected with and remote from the skull; mesocoracoid bone absent.. Fins without spines, the ventrals absent. Anterior vertebrae distinct, without Weberian ossicles. Elongate, serpentiform fishes with naked skin, or with See also:minute scales imbedded in the skin. Families: Anguillidae, Nemichthyidae, Synaphobranchidae, Saccopharyngidae, Muraenidae. A large See also:group of aberrant, degraded fishes, heralded by the Cretaceous genus Urenchelys, the most generalized of eels. Mostly marine, many bathybial; some living principally in fresh water, but breeding in the sea, like the common eel (see articles EEL and See also:MURAENA). SUB-ORDER V.—HAPLOMI Air-bladder, if present, with a duct.

Opercle well developed. Pectoral arch suspended from the skull; no mesocoracoid bone. Fins usually without, rarely with a few spines; ventrals abdominal, if present. Anterior vertebrae distinct, without Weberian ossicles. Families: Galaxiidae, Haplochitonidae, Enchodontidae, Esocidae, Dalliidae, Scopelidae, Alepidosauridae, Cetomimidae, Chirothricidae, Kneriidae, Cyprinodontidae, Amblyopsidae, Stephanoberycidae, Percopsidae. The See also:

absence of the mesocoracoid bone distinguishes these fishes from the Malacopterygii, and the presence of a duct to the air-bladder separates them from the Percesoces, to some of which, the Scombresocidae and the Atherinidae, they are linked by the Cyprinodontidae; whilst the Scopelidae are connected with the Berycidae by the Stephanoberycidae. The type See also:family of this sub-order is that of the Esocidae or See also:pike, inhabitants of the fresh waters of See also:Europe, See also:northern Asia, and See also:North America. The Galaxiidae are mostly fresh-water fishes and have a wide See also:distribution in the See also:southern hemisphere (southern parts of South America, New See also:Zealand, South Australia and Tasmania, Cape of See also:Good See also:Hope), one See also:species being identical in South America, the See also:Falkland Islands, New Zealand and Tasmania. Their distribution has been regarded as affording support to the theory of an See also:Antarctic See also:continent in See also:Tertiary times. However, several of the species spend See also:part of their See also:life, and even breed, in the sea, whilst others may be regarded as having become more recently adapted to fresh water, so that the See also:argument derived from their range is not so strong as if we had to See also:deal with exclusively fresh-water fishes. The Cyprinodontidae are partly brackish, partly fresh-water fishes, whilst the Scopelidae, which are traced back to the See also:Chalk, are all marine, many being inhabitants of great depths. SUB-ORDER VI.—HETEROMI Air-bladder without duct.

Opercle well developed, parietal bones separating the frontals from the supraoccipital. Pectoral arch suspended from the supraoccipital or the epiotic, the See also:

post-temporal small and See also:simple or replaced by a See also:ligament; no mesocoracoid bone. Ventral fins abdominal, if present. Families: Dercetidae, Halosauridae, Lipogenyidae, Notacanthidae, Fierasferidae. Closely related to the Haplomi, but separated chiefly on See also:account of the closed air-bladder. Mostly deep-sea fishes, some of which appeared as See also:early as the Cretaceous See also:period. The genus Fierasfer comprises small degraded fishes commensals of Holothurians and bivalve molluscs. SUB-ORDER VII.—SELENICHTHYES Air-bladder without duct. Opercle well developed. Pectoral arch suspended from the skull; no mesocoracoid bone. Fins with-out spines. Ventral fins abdominal, with very numerous (15 to 17) rays.

A very aberrant type, of uncertain See also:

affinities. Its only representative is the See also:opah, Lampris See also:luna, a large pelagic See also:fish of wide distribution. SUB-ORDER VIII.—THORACOSTEI Embracing the Hemibranchii and Lophobranchii, but excluding the Hypostomides (Pegasidae), which the investigations of F. E. Jungersen show to be aberrant See also:mail-cheeked Acanthopterygians. , Air-bladder without duct. Pectoral arch suspended from the skull: no mesocoracoid bone. Ventral fins abdominal, if present. Branchial See also:arches more or less reduced. Families: Gastrosteidae, Aulorhynchidae, Protosyngnathidae, Aulostomatidae, Fistulariidae, Centriscidae, Amphisilidae, Solenostomidae, Syngnathidae. The two latter families See also:institute the See also:division Lophobranchii, in which the gill-lamellae are enlarged and 'See also:orm rounded lobes. See articles SEA-See also:HORSE, See also:STICKLEBACK, and See also:PIPE-FISHES.

SUB-ORDER IX.—PERCESOCES Air-bladder, if present, without duct. Parietal bones separated by the supraoccipital. Pectoral arch suspended from the skull; no mesocoracoid bone. Ventral fins, if present, abdominal, or at least with the pelvic bones not solidly attached to the clavicular arch. Families: Scombresocidae, Ammodytidae, Atherinidae, Mugilidae, Polynemidae, Chiasmodontidae, Sphyraenidae, Tetragonuridae, Stromateidae, Icosteidae, Ophiocephalidae, Anabantidae. This See also:

series of families connects the Haplomi with the Acanthopterygii. The Percesoces are mostly marine, but the two last families are exclusively fresh-water. Some are inhabitants of great depths, others are pelagic, like the flying-fish (Exocoetus). SUB-ORDER X.—ANACANTHINI Air-bladder without duct. Parietal bones separated by the supraoccipital; prootic and exoccipital separated by the enlarged opisthotic. Pectoral arch suspended from the skull; no mesocoracoid bone. Ventral fins below or in front of the pectorals, the pelvic bones posterior to the clavicular symphysis and only loosely attached to it by ligament.

Fins without spines. Families: Macruridae, Gadidae, Muraenolepididae. Nearly all marine. The Macruridae are among the most characteristic fishes of the great depths. The Gadidae include some of the most valuable See also:

food-fishes. SUB-ORDER XI.—ACANTHOPTERYGII Air-bladder usually without duct. Opercle well developed ; supraoccipital in contact with the frontals. Pectoral arch suspended from the skull; no mesocoracoid bone. Ventral fins thoracic or jugular, more or less firmly attached to the clavicular arch. Gill-opening usually large, in front of the See also:base of the pectoral fin. The See also:character from which this sub-order, the most comprehensive of the whole class, derives its name, viz., the presence of non- See also:xxvl. 18articulated, spiny rays in the dorsal and anal fins, is by no means universal, exceptions to the See also:rule being numerous.

Division I. Beryciformes.—Families: Berycidae, Monocentridae, Polyymixiidae. the most See also:

primitive of the Acanthopterygians, already well represented in the Chalk. A duct has been observed to be sometimes present between the air-bladder and the digestive tract. All marine, several bathybial. Division II. Perciformes.—Families: Pempheridae, Serranidae, Anomalopidae, Pseudochromididae, Cepolidae, Hoplognathidae, Sillaginidae, Sciaenidae, Scorpididae, Caproidae, Centrarchidae, Cyphosidae, Lobotidae, Toxotidae, Nandidae, Percidae, Acropomatidae, Gerridae, Lactariidae, Trichodontidae, Pristipomatidae, Sparidae, Mullidae, Latrididae, Haplodactylidae, Chaetodontidae, Drepanidae, Osphromenidae, Acanthuridae, Teuthididae, Embiotocidae, Cichlidae, Pomaeentridae, Labridae, Scaridae. The Percidae, Centrarchidae, Toxotidae, Nandidae, Osphromenidae, Embiotocidae, and Cichlidae are fresh-water fishes, the others are all or nearly all marine. Aipichthys, which is included among the Scorpididae, is one of the few Acanthopterygian types known to have existed as early as the Cretaceous period. See articles CICHLIDS, See also:MULLET, See also:MURRAY See also:COD, See also:PARROT-FISHES, See also:PERCH, PIKE-PERCH, See also:SHEEPSHEAD, See also:WRASSE. Division III. Scombriformes.—Families: Carangidae, Rhachicentridae, Scombridae, Trichiuridae, Histiophoridae, Xiphiidae, Luvaridae, Coryphaenidae, Bramidae.

Marine fishes, several being pelagic and among the largest Teleosteans and swiftest swimmers. See articles See also:

HAIR-TAIL, See also:MACKEREL, See also:PILOT-FISH, See also:SWORD-FISH, See also:TUNNY. Division IV. Zeorhombi.—Families: Zeidae, Amphistiidae, Pleuronectidae. Division V. Kurtiformes.—A single family, Kurtidae, with a single genus and species from the See also:Indian and Pacific oceans. Division VI. Gobiiformes.— A single family, Gobiidae. Division VII. Discocephali.— A single family, Echeneididae. The remarkable remoras attach themselves by means of a cephalic disk to boats or to sharks, turtles, cetaceans, and other large See also:swift-See also:swimming animals. They form an isolated group, and have no real See also:affinity with the Scombridae, with which they have See also:long been associated.

Division VIII. Scleroparei.—Families: Scorpaenidae, Hexagrammidae, Comephoridae, Rhamphocottidae, Cottidae, Cyclopteridae, Platycephalidae, Hoplichthyidae, Agonidae, Pegasidae, Triglidae, Dactylopteridae. The " Mail-cheeked " Acanthopterygians include a great variety of forms, mostly living in the sea, the best known being referred to in the articles FLYING-FISH ,CURNA RD, LUMP-SUCKER, and See also:

MILLER'S-THUMB. Division IX. Jugulares.—Families: Trachinidae, Percophiidae, Leptoscopidae, Nototheniidae, Uranoscopidae, Trichodontidae, Callionymidae, Gobiesocidae, Blenniid e, Batrachidae, Pholididae, Zoarcidae, Congrogadidae, Ophidiidae, Podatelidae. Nearly all marine, some deep-sea. Macrius amissus, which probably belongs to the Leptoscopidae, See also:measures 5 ft. and is the largest known deep-sea Teleostean. The other members of this division are mostly small, Anarrhichas being another exception. The weevers (Trachinus) are dangerous stinging fishes. Division X. Taeniosomi.—Families: Trachypteridae, Lophotidae. Deep-sea or pelagic fishes, some attaining a large See also:size.

SUB-ORDER XII.—OPISTHOMI Air-bladder without duct. Opercle well developed, hidden under the skin; supraoccipital in contact with the frontals. Pectoral arch suspended from the vertebral See also:

column, far behind the skull; no mesocoracoid bone. See also:Vertical fins with spines. Ventral fins absent. Eel-shaped fishes See also:standing in the same relation to the Acanthop- terygii as do the Apodes to the Malacopterygii. The single family, Mastacembelidae, is possibly derived from the Blenniidae. Fresh and brackish waters of southern Asia and tropical Africa. SUB-ORDER XIII.—PEDICULATI Air-bladder without duct. Opercle well developed, hidden under the skin; supraoccipital in contact with the frontals. Pectoral arch suspended from the skull; no mesocoracoid bone. Ventral fins, if present, jugular.

Gill-opening reduced to a foramen situated in or near the axil more or less posterior to the base of the pectoral fin. Body naked or covered with spines or bony tubercles. Connected with the Acanthopterygii Jugulares through the Batrachidae. Families: Lophiidae, Ceratiidae, Antennariidae, Gigantactinidae, Malthidae. Curiously aberrant marine fishes, many bathybial. The best known are the fishing-See also:

frog or See also:angler, Lophius, and the Antennarius, which lives in See also:coral groves or is carried about in See also:mid-ocean among the Sargassum weeds. II SUB-ORDER XIV.--PLECTOGNATHI Air-bladder without duct. Opercular bones more or less reduced; supraoccipital in contact with the frontals; maxillary and praemaxillary bones often firmly See also:united. Pectoral arch suspended from the skull. No ribs. Ventral fins thoracic and much reduced if present; the pelvic bones, if present, more or less co-ossified. Gill-opening much reduced.

Body covered with more or less osseous scales, bony scutes, or spines, or naked. A highly aberrant group, closely connected with the Acanthopterygii through the Acanthuridae. Division I. Sclerodermi.—Families: Triacanthidae, Triodontidae, Balistidae, Ostraciontidae. Division II. Gymnodontes.—Families: Tetrodontidae, Diodontidae, Molidae. The Plectognaths are all marine; the recently discovered Triacanthid Halimochirurgus, remarkable for its long, See also:

tube-like snout, from the Gulf of See also:Manaar, is the only form of this sub-order which is confined to the deep sea. Although so highly specialized, several forms, such as Ostracion (the See also:coffer-fish), Tetrodon and Diodon, were already represented in the upper See also:Eocene. See See also:FILE-FISH, GLOBE-FISH and See also:SUN-FISH. For See also:bibliographical references to the Teleostomi, see See also:ICHTHYOLOGY. (G. A.

End of Article: ORDER IV

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