Salangidae
| Icefishes or noodlefishes | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Osmeriformes |
| Family: | Salangidae |
| Genera | |
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Hemisalanx |
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Icefishes or noodlefishes are a family, the Salangidae, of osmeriform fish, related to the smelts. They are found in freshwater environments in Southeast Asia, although a few species are anadromous, spending most of their life in coastal waters, and only visiting fresh water to spawn.
They have translucent or transparent bodies, and lack any scales. The head is strongly depressed and has numerous teeth. The adults are believed to be neotenic, retaining some larval features. For example, the skeleton is not fully ossified, consisting largely of cartilage.[1] They are small fish, typically around 8 centimetres (3.1 in), with the largest species reaching only 16 centimetres (6.3 in).[2]
[edit] Genera and species
The family consists of some 20 species in five genera:[1]
Family Salangidae
- Genus Hemisalanx
- Genus Neosalanx
- Genus Protosalanx
- Protosalanx chinensis
- Protosalanx hyalocranius - Clearhead icefish
- Genus Salangichthys
- Salangichthys ishikawae
- Salangichthys microdon - Japanese icefish
- Genus Salanx
- Salanx ariakensis
- Salanx chinensis - Chinese noodlefish
- Salanx cuvieri
- Salanx prognathus
- Salanx reevesii
[edit] References
- ^ a b Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2008). "Salangidae" in FishBase. December 2008 version.
- ^ McDowell, Robert M. (1998). Paxton, J.R. & Eschmeyer, W.N.. ed. Encyclopedia of Fishes. San Diego: Academic Press. pp. 117. ISBN 0-12-547665-5.
- Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2006). "Salangidae" in FishBase. January 2006 version.
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Wikispecies has information related to: Salangidae |
