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Atheriniformes
4-526.30.00English: Silverside fish; Silversides.
Silversides
Genera: 354 species.
Region: worldwide.
Habitat: tropical, temperate; marine, freshwater.ZoologyForm: elongated.
Color: silvery, mostly.
Size: small, 2 to 44 cm.
Fins: 2 dorsal fins, the first with flexible spines; anal fin with one spine at the front.
Reproduction: larvae share a gut unusually short, a single row of melanophores along the back, fin rays evident some time after hatching; eggs scattered widely, mostly attached to aquatic plants.TaxonomyAtheriniformes are closest to Cyprinodontiformes. Nelson recognises the infraseries Atherinomorpha, part of Ovalentaria which includes the orders Atheriniformes, Beloniformes, and Cyprinodontiformes, citing the larval characteristics and supporting molecular studies. The sister taxon to the Atherinomorpha appears to be the Mugiliformes.
Melanotaeniidae includes the subfamilies Bedotiinae, Melanotaeniinae, Pseudomugilinae, Telmatherininae. However, in a 2004 study, a different classification scheme classifies the families Bedotiidae, Melanotaeniidae, Pseudomugilidae, Telmatherinine in a suborder Melanotaenioidei.FamiliesSuborder Atherinopsoidei
• Atherinopsidae: New World silversides.
• Notocheiridae: Surf silversides.
Suborder Atherinoidei
• Isonidae: Surf sardines.
• Melanotaeniidae: Rainbowfishes, Blue eyes.
• Atherionidae: Pricklenose silversides.
• Dentatherinidae: Mercer's tusked silverside.
• Phallostethidae: Priapiumfishes.
• Atherinidae: Old World silversides.
Silversides
Genera: 354 species.
Region: worldwide.
Habitat: tropical, temperate; marine, freshwater.ZoologyForm: elongated.
Color: silvery, mostly.
Size: small, 2 to 44 cm.
Fins: 2 dorsal fins, the first with flexible spines; anal fin with one spine at the front.
Reproduction: larvae share a gut unusually short, a single row of melanophores along the back, fin rays evident some time after hatching; eggs scattered widely, mostly attached to aquatic plants.TaxonomyAtheriniformes are closest to Cyprinodontiformes. Nelson recognises the infraseries Atherinomorpha, part of Ovalentaria which includes the orders Atheriniformes, Beloniformes, and Cyprinodontiformes, citing the larval characteristics and supporting molecular studies. The sister taxon to the Atherinomorpha appears to be the Mugiliformes.
Melanotaeniidae includes the subfamilies Bedotiinae, Melanotaeniinae, Pseudomugilinae, Telmatherininae. However, in a 2004 study, a different classification scheme classifies the families Bedotiidae, Melanotaeniidae, Pseudomugilidae, Telmatherinine in a suborder Melanotaenioidei.FamiliesSuborder Atherinopsoidei
• Atherinopsidae: New World silversides.
• Notocheiridae: Surf silversides.
Suborder Atherinoidei
• Isonidae: Surf sardines.
• Melanotaeniidae: Rainbowfishes, Blue eyes.
• Atherionidae: Pricklenose silversides.
• Dentatherinidae: Mercer's tusked silverside.
• Phallostethidae: Priapiumfishes.
• Atherinidae: Old World silversides.