Order BERYCIFORMES
Body oblong to circular. Fin spines usually well developed
(rudimentary or absent in anoplogasterids, in stepha noberycids and in the dorsal and anal fins of diretmids); pelvic
fins with 5 soft-rays only (Stephanoberycidae) or with a
strong spine and 6-12 soft-rays (only 3 or 4 rudimentary
rays in Monocentridae); caudal fin with true (unpaired)
procurrent spines and 18 or 19 principal caudal fin rays.
Orbitosphenoid present (absent in Melamphaidae and
Stephanoberycidae) .
An ill-defined group of primitive acanthopterygians
(Rosen, 1973; Zehren, 1979; Lauder & Liem, 1983). The
inclusion or exclusion of certain families in this order is
based on the presence or absence of apparently primitive
characters, and such criteria are of dubious value in the recognition of natural (monophyletic) taxa. Ten families are
represented in our area. The Melamphaidae and Stephanoberycidae are put in a separate order by some authors
(Ebeling & Weed, 1973).
KEY TO FAMILIES
la A pair of long barbels on underside of lower jaw;
branched caudal fin rays 16 .. .. ..... .... POL YMIXIIDAE (No. 134)
134
Ib No barbels on lower jaw; branched caudal fin rays 17 ... ... .... ..... . 2
2a Pelvic fins with 1 huge spine (which can be
locked erect) and 3 or 4 rudimentary rays; scales
enlarged, with sharp ridges and spines, forming a bony
armour resembling a pinecone .. .. MONOCENTRIDAE (No . 128)
128
2b Pelvic fins with 1 spine and 6-12 soft-rays or just 5-7
soft rays; body not encased in armour resembling
a pinecone ..... ........ .. .................................. ..... ..... ...... .. .... 3
3a A prominent luminous organ immediately
below eye ... .............. ... ....... ... ... ANOMALOPIDAE (No. 129)
408
/-'--~
~
' . . " - ,
-----. ,. )1-)0 . . '·' . . . . . . · · . . . . ·· · . . ··· . . . . · )
"9~
)
3b No luminous organ immediately below eye ........................ ..... 4
4a Pelvic fin spine absent .............. .... ...... ........................ .. ...... 5
4b Pelvicfin spine present ...... ..... ............ .... ....... ..................... 6
5a Jaws with large fang-like teeth; dorsal fin base 2 to 4 times
longer than anal fin base ....... ANOPLOGASTERIDAE (No. 131)
5b Jaws with minute teeth ; dorsal and anal fin bases
subequal ....................... STEPHANOBERYCIDAE (No . 133a)
@?~:cI
133a
~
6a No dorsal or anal fin spines; no lateral
line ..... ......... .. ........ .... .. ................. DIRETMIDAE (No. 130)
130
6b Dorsal and anal fin spines present ........... .............................. 7
7 a Lateral line reduced to 1 or 2 pored scales
behind upper edge of operculum; dorsal fin with
1-3 weak spines .. .... ...... ........ .... .. MELAMPHAIDAE (No. 133)
Body oblong to circular. Fin spines usually well developed
(rudimentary or absent in anoplogasterids, in stepha noberycids and in the dorsal and anal fins of diretmids); pelvic
fins with 5 soft-rays only (Stephanoberycidae) or with a
strong spine and 6-12 soft-rays (only 3 or 4 rudimentary
rays in Monocentridae); caudal fin with true (unpaired)
procurrent spines and 18 or 19 principal caudal fin rays.
Orbitosphenoid present (absent in Melamphaidae and
Stephanoberycidae) .
An ill-defined group of primitive acanthopterygians
(Rosen, 1973; Zehren, 1979; Lauder & Liem, 1983). The
inclusion or exclusion of certain families in this order is
based on the presence or absence of apparently primitive
characters, and such criteria are of dubious value in the recognition of natural (monophyletic) taxa. Ten families are
represented in our area. The Melamphaidae and Stephanoberycidae are put in a separate order by some authors
(Ebeling & Weed, 1973).
KEY TO FAMILIES
la A pair of long barbels on underside of lower jaw;
branched caudal fin rays 16 .. .. ..... .... POL YMIXIIDAE (No. 134)
134
Ib No barbels on lower jaw; branched caudal fin rays 17 ... ... .... ..... . 2
2a Pelvic fins with 1 huge spine (which can be
locked erect) and 3 or 4 rudimentary rays; scales
enlarged, with sharp ridges and spines, forming a bony
armour resembling a pinecone .. .. MONOCENTRIDAE (No . 128)
128
2b Pelvic fins with 1 spine and 6-12 soft-rays or just 5-7
soft rays; body not encased in armour resembling
a pinecone ..... ........ .. .................................. ..... ..... ...... .. .... 3
3a A prominent luminous organ immediately
below eye ... .............. ... ....... ... ... ANOMALOPIDAE (No. 129)
408
/-'--~
~
' . . " - ,
-----. ,. )1-)0 . . '·' . . . . . . · · . . . . ·· · . . ··· . . . . · )
"9~
)
3b No luminous organ immediately below eye ........................ ..... 4
4a Pelvic fin spine absent .............. .... ...... ........................ .. ...... 5
4b Pelvicfin spine present ...... ..... ............ .... ....... ..................... 6
5a Jaws with large fang-like teeth; dorsal fin base 2 to 4 times
longer than anal fin base ....... ANOPLOGASTERIDAE (No. 131)
5b Jaws with minute teeth ; dorsal and anal fin bases
subequal ....................... STEPHANOBERYCIDAE (No . 133a)
@?~:cI
133a
~
6a No dorsal or anal fin spines; no lateral
line ..... ......... .. ........ .... .. ................. DIRETMIDAE (No. 130)
130
6b Dorsal and anal fin spines present ........... .............................. 7
7 a Lateral line reduced to 1 or 2 pored scales
behind upper edge of operculum; dorsal fin with
1-3 weak spines .. .... ...... ........ .... .. MELAMPHAIDAE (No. 133)