Elopidae

:The Spanish hogfish ("Bodianus rufus") is also sometimes known as "ladyfish"."Taxobox
name = Ladyfishes and tenpounders
fossil_range = fossilrange|55|0
Early Eocene to Present [cite journal
last = Sepkoski
first = Jack
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = A compendium of fossil marine animal genera
journal = Bulletins of American Paleontology
volume = 364
issue =
pages = p.560
publisher =
location =
date = 2002
url = http://strata.ummp.lsa.umich.edu/jack/showgenera.php?taxon=611&rank=class
doi =
id =
accessdate = 2007-12-25 ]

---

image_width = 240px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Actinopterygii
ordo = Elopiformes
familia = Elopidae
genus = "Elops"
genus_authority = Linnaeus, 1766
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = See text.

Elopidae is a family of ray-finned fish containing the single genus "Elops".

The ladyfish are a coastal dwelling fish found throughout the tropical and sub-tropical regions. Spawning takes place at sea and the fish larvae migrate inland entering brackish waters. Their food is smaller fish and crustaceans (shrimp). Typically throughout the species the maximum size is 1 m and the maximum weight 10 kg. The body is fusiform (tapering spindle shape) and oval in cross-section; being slightly laterally compressed, the eyes are large and partially covered with fatty (adipose) eyelids.

The larvae are leptocephalic - being highly compressed, ribbon-like and transparent. After initial growth they shrink and then metamorphise into the adult form.

This family is fished but the body is bony and therefore not edible by humans. However, the fish may be ground down for fish meal.

The name comes from the Greek "ellops" - a kind of serpent.* FishBase family | family = Elopidae | month = January | year = 2006]

Fish in this family are known as ladyfishes or tenpounders and also as big-eye herrings, guinées (French) and machetes (Spanish).

pecies

There are six species:ITIS | ID = 161110 | taxon = Elops | year = 2006 | date = 1 July]

*Pacific ladyfish, "Elops affinis", or machete, machete del Pacífico
*Hawaiian ladyfish, "Elops hawaiensis", or giant herring, tenpounder.
*West African ladyfish, "Elops lacerta", or Guinean ladyfish.
*Tenpounder, "Elops machnata".
*Ladyfish, "Elops saurus", or banano, ladyfish, machete del Atlántico.
*Senegalese ladyfish, "Elops senegalensis".

References