Order LAMPRIFORMES
A motley assemblage of uncertain relationships. The
great diversity of body shape and fin development of the
lampriforms makes it difficult to diagnose this order.
Pelvic fins, if present, thoracic or jugular; caudal fin well
developed or rudimentary to absent; dorsal fin base elongated or short; anal fin present or absent; no fin spines (except in the dorsal fin of Veliferidae). Scales, if present,
small, cycloid and deciduous.
KEY TO FAMILIES
la Body elongate; caudal fin well developed;
dorsal fin on rear half of body opposite
anal fin ... ..... ... .. .. ... ... ... ...... ... .. .... MIRAPINNIDAE (No. 125)
~==:=~
125
~
Ib Body elongate or not ; caudal fin present or
absent; dorsal fin origin over head or front
half of body ..... .... .. ........ .... ... ... ... ... ..... ... ..... .... .. ... .. .. .... .. .. 2
2a Body oval; all fins well developed, the caudal
fin forked ...... .. ........... .. .... ....... .. ....... ... ........... ........... ..... . 3
2b Body elongate; pelvic, anal and caudal fins
present or absent .... .. ... ...... ............ ...... ....... .. .... ........ ........ 4
3a Pectoral fins longer than head; dorsal
fin origin behind head; anterior anal fin
rays short ...... .... ................... .... .... .... LAMPRIDAE (No. 117)
117
3b Pectoral fins not longer than head; dorsal fin origin
over operculum; anterior anal fin rays elongated ,
much longer than posterior rays .... .. ... VELIFERIDAE (No. 118)
118
4a Dorsal fin base shorter than head; anal fin base
elongated, united with reduced caudal
fin .. .. .... .... .. .. ........ ... ........ .. .... ATELEOPODIDAE (No . 124)
s4~· · · · · - · · · · · · · · · · · ======
4b Dorsal fin base extends from head to caudal fin;
anal fin rudimentary or absent ........................ .. .... .. ... .. .. ...... 5
Sa Eyes tubular, directed forward; mouth greatly
protrusile; lower jaw length equals head
length .. .. ...... ...... .. .... .... .... .. ...... STYLEPHORIDAE (No. 123)
123 ~_d _ _ _ %E~
5b Eyes not tubular; mouth more or less protrusile;
lower jaw shorter than head length .. .. .. .... ...... .... .......... .. ...... .. 6
6a Anus near caudal fin ; maxilla slender, its width
less than V 2 eye diameter; upper jaw slightly
protrusile .. .. .......... .. .... .. ........ ...... ... LOPHOTIDAE (No. 121)
6b Anus near middle of body; maxilla width more than \t2
eye diameter; upper jaw very protrusile ..... .. ...... .... .. .............. 7
7a Anal fin rudimentary, about halfway between
anus and last vertebra ; lateral line continued
past last vertebra where the canals of either side
are joined to form a large, thin-walled tube carried
on the greatly elongated "rays" that emanate
from the ventral surface of the last
3 vertebrae .. ...... .. .. ...... .. ........ RADIICEPHALIDAE (No. 120)
7b Anal fin absent; lateral line ends at last vertebra ....... .. ... .. ..... .. . 8
397
A motley assemblage of uncertain relationships. The
great diversity of body shape and fin development of the
lampriforms makes it difficult to diagnose this order.
Pelvic fins, if present, thoracic or jugular; caudal fin well
developed or rudimentary to absent; dorsal fin base elongated or short; anal fin present or absent; no fin spines (except in the dorsal fin of Veliferidae). Scales, if present,
small, cycloid and deciduous.
KEY TO FAMILIES
la Body elongate; caudal fin well developed;
dorsal fin on rear half of body opposite
anal fin ... ..... ... .. .. ... ... ... ...... ... .. .... MIRAPINNIDAE (No. 125)
~==:=~
125
~
Ib Body elongate or not ; caudal fin present or
absent; dorsal fin origin over head or front
half of body ..... .... .. ........ .... ... ... ... ... ..... ... ..... .... .. ... .. .. .... .. .. 2
2a Body oval; all fins well developed, the caudal
fin forked ...... .. ........... .. .... ....... .. ....... ... ........... ........... ..... . 3
2b Body elongate; pelvic, anal and caudal fins
present or absent .... .. ... ...... ............ ...... ....... .. .... ........ ........ 4
3a Pectoral fins longer than head; dorsal
fin origin behind head; anterior anal fin
rays short ...... .... ................... .... .... .... LAMPRIDAE (No. 117)
117
3b Pectoral fins not longer than head; dorsal fin origin
over operculum; anterior anal fin rays elongated ,
much longer than posterior rays .... .. ... VELIFERIDAE (No. 118)
118
4a Dorsal fin base shorter than head; anal fin base
elongated, united with reduced caudal
fin .. .. .... .... .. .. ........ ... ........ .. .... ATELEOPODIDAE (No . 124)
s4~· · · · · - · · · · · · · · · · · ======
4b Dorsal fin base extends from head to caudal fin;
anal fin rudimentary or absent ........................ .. .... .. ... .. .. ...... 5
Sa Eyes tubular, directed forward; mouth greatly
protrusile; lower jaw length equals head
length .. .. ...... ...... .. .... .... .... .. ...... STYLEPHORIDAE (No. 123)
123 ~_d _ _ _ %E~
5b Eyes not tubular; mouth more or less protrusile;
lower jaw shorter than head length .. .. .. .... ...... .... .......... .. ...... .. 6
6a Anus near caudal fin ; maxilla slender, its width
less than V 2 eye diameter; upper jaw slightly
protrusile .. .. .......... .. .... .. ........ ...... ... LOPHOTIDAE (No. 121)
6b Anus near middle of body; maxilla width more than \t2
eye diameter; upper jaw very protrusile ..... .. ...... .... .. .............. 7
7a Anal fin rudimentary, about halfway between
anus and last vertebra ; lateral line continued
past last vertebra where the canals of either side
are joined to form a large, thin-walled tube carried
on the greatly elongated "rays" that emanate
from the ventral surface of the last
3 vertebrae .. ...... .. .. ...... .. ........ RADIICEPHALIDAE (No. 120)
7b Anal fin absent; lateral line ends at last vertebra ....... .. ... .. ..... .. . 8
397