Fish Guide

Stephanoberyciformes
Scopelogadus mizolepis mizolepis, a ridgehead
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia   Phylum: Chordata   Class: Actinopterygii   Order: Stephanoberyciformes
Families
Melamphaidae (ridgeheads) Gibberichthyidae (gibberfishes) Stephanoberycidae (pricklefishes) Hispidoberycidae

The Stephanoberyciformes are an order of marine ray-finned fishes, consisting of about 45 species, the majority (37) of which belong to the ridgehead family (Melamphaidae). The Stephanoberyciformes are mostly uncommon deep-sea species with little if any importance to commercial fishery. They share many morphological similarities with the Beryciformes, their sister order.

Common characteristics include a generally rounded body, a toothless palate, rather thin skull bones, and a missing orbitosphenoid bone (except for Hispidoberyx).

J.S. Nelson classifies the whalefishes (Cetomimiformes) as a superfamily Cetomimoidea of this order.

References

• "Stephanoberyciformes". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. March 2005 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2005.
• J. S. Nelson, Fishes of the World