Within this group are five families and approximately 18 genera and 32 species (but see below). Thought to have a circumglobal distribution throughout the tropical and temperate latitudes, whalefishes have been recorded at depths in excess of 3,500 metres.
Named after their whale-shaped body (from the Greekketos meaning "whale" or "sea monster", mimos meaning "imitative" and the Latinforma meaning "form"), the Cetomimiformes have extremely large mouths and highly distensible stomachs. Their eyes are very small or vestigial; the lateral line (composed of huge, hollow tubes) is consequently very well developed to compensate for life in the pitch black depths.
The dorsal and anal fins are set far back; all fins lack spines. The swim bladder is also absent, except in the larvae and juveniles which occur in the surface waters.[2] Whalefish coloration is typically red to orange, sometimes with a black body. Some species possess light-producing organs called photophores; these are widespread among deep-sea fishes.
The largest known species reach a length of just 40 centimetres; most species are half this size. Sexual dimorphism is (apparently) exceptionally strong: males may only grow to 3.5 centimetres while females may be ten times as large. This is not uncommon among deep-sea fishes, with the males serving little use other than as suppliers of sperm: an even more extreme case are the parasitic males in deep-sea anglerfish.
Paxton, John R.; Johnson, G. David & Trnski, Thomas (2001): Larvae and juveniles of the deepsea "whalefishes" Barbourisia and Rondeletia (Stephanoberyciformes: Barbourisiidae, Rondeletiidae), with comments on family relationships. Records of the Australian Museum53(3): 407-425.
External linksedit
Whalefish - Smithsonian Ocean Portal
Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2006). "Cetomimiformes" in FishBase. January 2006 version.
cetomimiformes, whalefishes, order, small, deep, finned, fish, some, authorities, include, whalefishes, part, order, stephanoberyciformes, within, superfamily, cetomimoidea, their, sister, order, beryciformes, includes, flashlight, fish, squirrelfish, whalefis. The Cetomimiformes or whalefishes are an order of small deep sea ray finned fish Some authorities 1 include the whalefishes as part of the order Stephanoberyciformes within the superfamily Cetomimoidea Their sister order the Beryciformes includes the flashlight fish and squirrelfish Whalefishes Barbourisia rufa Scientific classification disputed Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Actinopterygii Order Cetomimiformes Families Barbourisiidae Cetomimidae Rondeletiidae Within this group are five families and approximately 18 genera and 32 species but see below Thought to have a circumglobal distribution throughout the tropical and temperate latitudes whalefishes have been recorded at depths in excess of 3 500 metres Contents 1 Description 2 Families 3 Footnotes 4 References 5 External linksDescription editNamed after their whale shaped body from the Greek ketos meaning whale or sea monster mimos meaning imitative and the Latin forma meaning form the Cetomimiformes have extremely large mouths and highly distensible stomachs Their eyes are very small or vestigial the lateral line composed of huge hollow tubes is consequently very well developed to compensate for life in the pitch black depths The dorsal and anal fins are set far back all fins lack spines The swim bladder is also absent except in the larvae and juveniles which occur in the surface waters 2 Whalefish coloration is typically red to orange sometimes with a black body Some species possess light producing organs called photophores these are widespread among deep sea fishes The largest known species reach a length of just 40 centimetres most species are half this size Sexual dimorphism is apparently exceptionally strong males may only grow to 3 5 centimetres while females may be ten times as large This is not uncommon among deep sea fishes with the males serving little use other than as suppliers of sperm an even more extreme case are the parasitic males in deep sea anglerfish Families editCetomimidae flabby whalefishes Rondeletiidae redmouth whalefishes Barbourisiidae velvet whalefish monotypic The gibberfishes Gibberichthyidae on the other hand usually placed in the Stephanoberyciformes sensu stricto appear to be close relatives of the Rondeletiidae and Barbourisiidae as has been occasionally proposed 2 Footnotes edit E g Nelson 2006 a b Paxton et al 2001 References editNelson J S 2006 Fishes of the World 4th ed ISBN 0 471 25031 7 Paxton John R Johnson G David amp Trnski Thomas 2001 Larvae and juveniles of the deepsea whalefishes Barbourisia and Rondeletia Stephanoberyciformes Barbourisiidae Rondeletiidae with comments on family relationships Records of the Australian Museum 53 3 407 425 PDF fulltextExternal links editWhalefish Smithsonian Ocean Portal Froese Rainer and Daniel Pauly eds 2006 Cetomimiformes in FishBase January 2006 version Aquatic community website Archived 2015 12 08 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cetomimiformes amp oldid 1181837549, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
