Megalops curtifilis

Description

Family Megalopidae

Chiefly marine ; entering fresh water . Distribution: tropical and subtropical waters. Fusiform , compressed body. Mouth terminal , oblique or superior, lower jaw prominent , gular plate ventral between two branches of lower jaw. Pseudo- branchiae absent. Branchiostegal rays : 23-27. Single dorsal fin without spines; dorsal fin rays : 13-21; filamentous last dorsal ray. Pectorals very low. Anal fin rays: 22-29. Pelvic fin rays: 10-11. Conus arteriosus present. Branched tubes radiating over lateral line scales . Swim bladder lying against skull. About 2.2 m maximum length . Larval stage leptocephalic translucid. Large silvery fishes . Can tolerate oxygen-poor water by inhaling air into lung-like swim bladder. Popular sportfishes.The family Megalopidae belongs to the Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) and the Order Elopiformes. It contains 2 genera and 2 species. It may be found in Marine, Brackish , and Freshwater environments and is primarily Marine. Members of this family are not used in the aquarium trade. Reproductively, most members of this family are nonguarders. The main mode of swimming of adult fish in this family is carangiform . Compared with other fish, the activity level of this family tends to be active . Etymology of this family name : Greek, mega, megalos = great + Greek, pous = foot

Taxonomy

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Domain: Eukaryota () - Whittaker & Margulis,1978
- Kingdom: Animalia () - Linnaeus, 1758 - animals
  - Subkingdom: Bilateria () - (Hatschek, 1888) Cavalier-Smith, 1983
    - Branch: Deuterostomia () - Grobben, 1908
      - Infrakingdom: Chordonia () - (Haeckel, 1874) Cavalier-Smith, 1998
        Phylum: Chordata () - Bateson, 1885 - Chordates
        Subphylum: Vertebrata () - Cuvier, 1812 - Vertebrates
        Infraphylum: Gnathostomata () - Auct. - Jawed Vertebrates
        Superclass: Osteichthyes () - Huxley, 1880 - Bony Fishes
        Class: Osteichthyes () - Huxley, 1880 - Bony Fishes
        Subclass: Actinopterygii () - Ray-Finned Fishes
        Infraclass: Actinopteri ()
        Cohort: Elopomorpha () - Greenwood Et Al., 1966
        Order: Elopiformes () - Greenwood Et Al., 1966 - Tarpons And Tenpounders
        Family: Megalopidae () - Tarpons
        Genus: Megalops ()
        Specific name: curtifilis
        Scientific name: - Megalops curtifilis