Notacanthiformes

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: Halosauridae - Notacanthidae

References

* FishBase link : ordo Notacanthiformes (Mirror site)

Notacanthiformes is an order of deep-sea ray-finned fishes, consisting of the families Halosauridae and Notacanthidae (spiny eels)

The order is of relatively recent vintage; Fishes of the World lists it as a suborder Notacanthoidei of Albuliformes. The notacanthiforms are much more eel-like than the albuliforms; for instance, the caudal fin has disappeared.

Fish of the order are found in oceans worldwide, at depths from 120 metres (390 ft) to 4,900 metres (16,100 ft). They are elongated fish, although not as much so as the true eels. They typically feed on slow-moving or sessile animals, such as molluscs, echinoderms, and sea anemones. Like the true eels, they have a leptocephalus larva that floats in the surface waters before transforming into an adult. Unusually, the larva can often be larger than the adult.[2]

References

1. ^ Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2009). "Notacanthiformes" in FishBase. January 2009 version.
2. ^ 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). "Notacanthiformes" in FishBase. January 2006 version.
* Joseph S. Nelson. Fishes of the World. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0-471-54713-1.