''Mormyrops'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

weakly electric fish An electric fish is any fish that can generate electric fields. Most electric fish are also electroreceptive, meaning that they can sense electric fields. The only exception is the stargazer family. Electric fish, although a small minority, in ...

in the family Mormyridae from freshwater in Africa. They are characterized by an elongate

head A head is the part of an organism which usually includes the ears, brain, forehead, cheeks, chin, eyes, nose, and mouth, each of which aid in various sensory functions such as sight, hearing, smell, and taste. Some very simple animals may ...

measuring twice as long as high, and no

teeth A tooth ( : teeth) is a hard, calcified structure found in the jaws (or mouths) of many vertebrates and used to break down food. Some animals, particularly carnivores and omnivores, also use teeth to help with capturing or wounding prey, tear ...

on the palate or the

tongue The tongue is a muscular organ (anatomy), organ in the mouth of a typical tetrapod. It manipulates food for mastication and swallowing as part of the digestive system, digestive process, and is the primary organ of taste. The tongue's upper surfa ...

. The genus includes the largest member of the mormyrid family, the cornish jack (''Mormyrops anguilloides'') at up to in length.

Taxonomy and species

Matériaux pour la faune du Congo (6298589331)

According to

FishBase FishBase is a global species database of fish species (specifically finfish). It is the largest and most extensively accessed online database on adult finfish on the web.

, there are currently 21 recognized species in this genus. One of these (marked with one star* in list) is often placed in its own genus ''

Oxymormyrus ''Oxymormyrus'' is a small genus of elephantfish in the family Mormyridae. Its members reach about in length and are restricted to the Congo, Campo, Kouilou-Niari, Nyanga and Ogowe river basins in Middle Africa. Taxonomy and species The ...

'' instead, and yet another (marked with two stars**) has occasionally also been placed in that genus. * ''

Mormyrops anguilloides The Cornish jack, ''Mormyrops anguilloides'', is a species of weakly electric fish in the family Mormyridae, native to quiet waters in much of Sub-Saharan Africa. The largest species in its family, the Cornish jack is a nocturnal group hunter o ...

'' ( Linnaeus 1758) (Cornish jack) * ''

Mormyrops attenuatus ''Mormyrops'' is a genus of weakly electric fish in the family Mormyridae from freshwater in Africa. They are characterized by an elongate head measuring twice as long as high, and no teeth on the palate or the tongue. The genus includes the la ...

Boulenger Boulenger is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Benjamin Boulenger (born 1990), French footballer * Edward George Boulenger (1888–1946), British zoologist, director of aquarium at London Zoo * George Albert Boulenger (1858–1 ...

1898 (Upoto mormyrid) * ''

Mormyrops batesianus ''Mormyrops'' is a genus of weakly electric fish in the family Mormyridae from freshwater in Africa. They are characterized by an elongate head measuring twice as long as high, and no teeth on the palate or the tongue. The genus includes the larg ...

1909 (Bumba mormyrid) * ''

Mormyrops boulengeri ''Mormyrops'' is a genus of weakly electric fish in the family Mormyridae from freshwater in Africa. They are characterized by an elongate head measuring twice as long as high, and no teeth on the palate or the tongue. The genus includes the la ...

''* Pellegrin, 1900 (Alima River mormyrid) * ''

Mormyrops breviceps ''Mormyrops'' is a genus of weakly electric fish in the family Mormyridae from freshwater in Africa. They are characterized by an elongate head measuring twice as long as high, and no teeth on the palate or the tongue. The genus includes the la ...

Steindachner Franz Steindachner (11 November 1834 in Vienna – 10 December 1919 in Vienna) was an Austrian zoologist, ichthyologist, and herpetologist. He published over 200 papers on fishes and over 50 papers on reptiles and amphibians. Steindachner describ ...

1894 (Liberian elephantfish) * ''

Mormyrops caballus ''Mormyrops'' is a genus of weakly electric fish in the family Mormyridae from freshwater in Africa. They are characterized by an elongate head measuring twice as long as high, and no teeth on the palate or the tongue. The genus includes the larg ...

'' Pellegrin 1927 (Sanaga mormyrid) * ''

Mormyrops citernii ''Mormyrops'' is a genus of weakly electric fish in the family Mormyridae from freshwater in Africa. They are characterized by an elongate head measuring twice as long as high, and no teeth on the palate or the tongue. The genus includes the larg ...

'' Vinciguerra 1912 (Genale mormyrid) * ''

Mormyrops curtus ''Mormyrops'' is a genus of weakly electric fish in the family Mormyridae from freshwater in Africa. They are characterized by an elongate head measuring twice as long as high, and no teeth on the palate or the tongue. The genus includes the larg ...

1899 (Boma mormyrid) * ''

Mormyrops curviceps ''Mormyrops'' is a genus of weakly electric fish in the family Mormyridae from freshwater in Africa. They are characterized by an elongate head measuring twice as long as high, and no teeth on the palate or the tongue. The genus includes the larg ...

'' Román 1966 (Bougouriba mormyrid) * ''

Mormyrops engystoma ''Mormyrops'' is a genus of weakly electric fish in the family Mormyridae from freshwater in Africa. They are characterized by an elongate head measuring twice as long as high, and no teeth on the palate or the tongue. The genus includes the larg ...

1898 (Matadi mormyrid) * ''

Mormyrops furcidens ''Mormyrops'' is a genus of weakly electric fish in the family Mormyridae from freshwater in Africa. They are characterized by an elongate head measuring twice as long as high, and no teeth on the palate or the tongue. The genus includes the larg ...

'' Pellegrin 1900 (Alima mormyrid) * ''

Mormyrops intermedius ''Mormyrops'' is a genus of weakly electric fish in the family Mormyridae from freshwater in Africa. They are characterized by an elongate head measuring twice as long as high, and no teeth on the palate or the tongue. The genus includes the larg ...

'' Vinciguerra 1928 (Rubi mormyrid) * ''

Mormyrops lineolatus ''Mormyrops'' is a genus of weakly electric fish in the family Mormyridae from freshwater in Africa. They are characterized by an elongate head measuring twice as long as high, and no teeth on the palate or the tongue. The genus includes the larg ...

1898 * ''

Mormyrops mariae ''Mormyrops'' is a genus of weakly electric fish in the family Mormyridae from freshwater in Africa. They are characterized by an elongate head measuring twice as long as high, and no teeth on the palate or the tongue. The genus includes the la ...

'' ( Schilthuis, 1891) (Kinshasa mormyrid) * ''

Mormyrops masuianus ''Mormyrops'' is a genus of weakly electric fish in the family Mormyridae from freshwater in Africa. They are characterized by an elongate head measuring twice as long as high, and no teeth on the palate or the tongue. The genus includes the la ...

1898 * ''

Mormyrops microstoma ''Mormyrops'' is a genus of weakly electric fish in the family Mormyridae from freshwater in Africa. They are characterized by an elongate head measuring twice as long as high, and no teeth on the palate or the tongue. The genus includes the larg ...

1898 (New Antwerp mormyrid) * ''

Mormyrops nigricans ''Mormyrops'' is a genus of weakly electric fish in the family Mormyridae from freshwater in Africa. They are characterized by an elongate head measuring twice as long as high, and no teeth on the palate or the tongue. The genus includes the ...

1899 (Kutu mormyrid) * ''

Mormyrops oudoti ''Mormyrops'' is a genus of weakly electric fish in the family Mormyridae from freshwater in Africa. They are characterized by an elongate head measuring twice as long as high, and no teeth on the palate or the tongue. The genus includes the larg ...

'' Daget 1954 (Bamako mormyrid) * ''

Mormyrops parvus ''Mormyrops'' is a genus of weakly electric fish in the family Mormyridae from freshwater in Africa. They are characterized by an elongate head measuring twice as long as high, and no teeth on the palate or the tongue. The genus includes the ...

1899 (parvus mormyrid) * ''

Mormyrops sirenoides ''Mormyrops'' is a genus of weakly electric fish in the family Mormyridae from freshwater in Africa. They are characterized by an elongate head measuring twice as long as high, and no teeth on the palate or the tongue. The genus includes the la ...

1898 (sirenoides mormyrid) * ''

Mormyrops zanclirostris ''Mormyrops'' is a genus of weakly electric fish in the family Mormyridae from freshwater in Africa. They are characterized by an elongate head measuring twice as long as high, and no teeth on the palate or the tongue. The genus includes the ...

''** ( Günther, 1867) (Pool elephantfish)

References

Mormyridae Ray-finned fish genera {{Osteoglossiformes-stub