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 ...
of needlefish, one of ten in the family Belonidae. They are found worldwide in tropical and warmer temperate seas and two species have been recorded as Lessepsian migrants in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
Species
The seven currently recognized
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
in this genus are:
* ''
Tylosurus acus
''Tylosurus acus'' (keel-jawed needlefish) is a game fish of the family Belonidae.
Distribution
The keel-jawed needlefish is widespread in the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific oceans.
Taxonomy
There are four recognised subspecies of ''Tylosurus acus'' ...
'' (Lacepède, 1803)
** ''T. a. acus'' ( Lacépède, 1803) (Agujon needlefish)
** ''T. a. imperialis'' (
Rafinesque
Constantine Samuel Rafinesque-Schmaltz (; October 22, 1783September 18, 1840) was a French 19th-century polymath born near Constantinople in the Ottoman Empire and self-educated in France. He traveled as a young man in the United States, ultimat ...
, 1810)
** ''T. a. melanotus'' (
Bleeker Bleeker is a Dutch occupational surname. Bleeker is an old spelling of ''(linnen)bleker'' ("linen bleacher").Collette & Parin, 1970 (Atlantic agujon needlefish)
* ''
Tylosurus choram
''Tylosurus choram'', the Red Sea houndfish, is a species of needlefish from the family Belonidae. A marine fish bluish in color with a long slender body, and a pointed long toothed beak, found in most temperate, warm seas, and sometimes rivers, ...
Tylosurus crocodilus
The houndfish (''Tylosurus crocodilus'') is a game fish of the family Belonidae. It is the largest member of its family, growing up to in length and in weight. It is also often called the crocodile needlefish.
Description
While the houndfish h ...
Houndfish
The houndfish (''Tylosurus crocodilus'') is a game fish of the family (biology), family Belonidae. It is the largest member of its family, growing up to in length and in weight. It is also often called the crocodile needlefish.
Description
Whi ...
)
* ''
Tylosurus fodiator
''Tylosurus fodiator'', the Mexican needlefish, is a species of needlefish from the family Belonidae which is found only in the eastern Pacific, from the Gulf of California south to Ecuador including the Galapagos, Cocos and Malpelo Islands. I ...
Tylosurus gavialoides
''Tylosurus'' is a genus of needlefish, one of ten in the family Belonidae. They are found worldwide in tropical and warmer temperate seas and two species have been recorded as Lessepsian migrants in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
Species
The ...
Tylosurus pacificus
''Tylosurus'' is a genus of needlefish, one of ten in the family Belonidae. They are found worldwide in tropical and warmer temperate seas and two species have been recorded as Lessepsian migrants in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
Species
The ...
Tylosurus punctulatus
''Tylosurus'' is a genus of needlefish, one of ten in the family Belonidae. They are found worldwide in tropical and warmer temperate seas and two species have been recorded as Lessepsian migrants in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
Species
The ...
The generic name ''Tylosurus'' is a compound created from the
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
words ''tylos'' meaning a "
callus
A callus is an area of thickened and sometimes hardened skin that forms as a response to repeated friction, pressure, or other irritation. Since repeated contact is required, calluses are most often found on the feet and hands, but they may o ...
" and ''oura'' meaning "tail", this refers to the keel like structures on the caudal peduncle of these fish.