# Aulopiformes
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{{Short description|Order of fishes}}
{{Automatic taxobox|
| fossil_range = {{fossil range|125|0}} [Early Cretaceous](/source/Early_Cretaceous) to present[{{Cite journal |last1=Davis |first1=Matthew P. |last2=Fielitz |first2=Christopher |date=2010-12-01 |title=Estimating divergence times of lizardfishes and their allies (Euteleostei: Aulopiformes) and the timing of deep-sea adaptations |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1055790310003702 |journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution |volume=57 |issue=3 |pages=1194–1208 |doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2010.09.003 |pmid=20854916 |bibcode=2010MolPE..57.1194D |issn=1055-7903|url-access=subscription }}]
| image = Synodus variegatus.jpg
| image_caption = [Variegated lizardfish](/source/Variegated_lizardfish), ''Synodus variegatus''
([Synodontoidei](/source/Synodontoidei): [Synodontidae](/source/Synodontidae))
| display_parents = 2
| taxon = Aulopiformes
| authority = [D. E. Rosen](/source/Donn_Eric_Rosen), 1973
| subdivision_ranks = Suborders
| subdivision = * [Alepisauroidei](/source/Alepisauroidei)
* [Chlorophthalmoidei](/source/Chlorophthalmoidei)
* †[Enchodontoidei](/source/Enchodontoidei)
* [Giganturoidei](/source/Giganturoidei)
* [Synodontoidei](/source/Synodontoidei)
| synonyms = Macristiidae (see text)
| type_genus = ''[Aulopus](/source/Aulopus)''
| type_genus_authority = [Cloquet](/source/Hippolyte_Cloquet), 1816
}}
'''Aulopiformes''' {{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɔː|l|ə|p|ᵻ|f|ɔːr|m|iː|z}}{{Efn|Meaning "''Aulopus''-shaped", from ''[Aulopus](/source/Aulopus)'' (the [type genus](/source/type_genus)) + the standard [fish](/source/fish) order [suffix](/source/suffix) "-formes"; this ultimately derives from [Ancient Greek](/source/Ancient_Greek) ''aulós'' (αὐλός, "flute" or "pipe") + [Latin](/source/Latin) ''forma'' ("external form"), the former in reference to the elongated shape of many aulopiforms.[{{harvtxt|Woodhouse|1910}}][{{harvtxt|Glare|1982}}][FishBase (2000)]|name=Aulopus}} is a diverse [order](/source/order_(biology)) of [marine](/source/Marine_(ocean)) [ray-finned fish](/source/ray-finned_fish) consisting of some 15 [extant](/source/Extant_taxon) and several [prehistoric](/source/prehistoric) [families](/source/Family_(taxonomy)) with about 45 [genera](/source/genera) and over 230 [species](/source/species). The common names '''grinners''', '''lizardfishes and allies''', or '''aulopiforms''' are sometimes used for this group. They are included in the superorder '''Cyclosquamata''',{{Efn|''cyclō'' + ''squāmātus''; "circle scale", referring to the [cycloid scale](/source/cycloid_scale)s predominant in these fish[{{cite web |last1=Scharpf |first1=Christopher |title=Table of Contents |url=https://etyfish.org/toc/ |website=etyfish.org |access-date=9 May 2025}}]|name=Cyclosquamata}} though modern [taxonomist](/source/taxonomist)s consider this superorder to be unwarranted.
Many [extant](/source/Neontology) aulopiforms are [deep-sea fish](/source/deep-sea_fish)es, with some [species](/source/species) recognized as being [hermaphroditic](/source/hermaphroditic), a number of which are able to [self-fertilise](/source/Autogamy). Some are [benthic](/source/benthic), but most are [pelagic](/source/pelagic) swimmers ([nekton](/source/nekton)ic).[{{harvtxt|Johnson|Eschmeyer|1998}}] A [clade](/source/clade) of Aulopiformes, the suborder [Enchodontoidei](/source/Enchodontoidei) and its many constituent families, were dominant nektonic fish throughout much of the [Late Cretaceous](/source/Late_Cretaceous) before the [extinction](/source/extinction) of most of their members around the [K–Pg event](/source/K%E2%80%93Pg_event),[{{Cite web |last=Chida |first=Mori |date=Fall 2022 |title=A new species of dercetid and the assessment of the phylogeny of the Enchodontoidei (Teleostei: Aulopiformes) |url=https://era.library.ualberta.ca/items/17b5d63d-cd83-45a3-a19a-8de2a5074903 |access-date=2023-12-28 |website=ERA |doi=10.7939/r3-nqmz-nf15 |language=en}}] with the [Dercetidae](/source/Dercetidae) surviving for some time in the [Cenozoic](/source/Cenozoic).[{{Cite journal |last1=Alvarado-Ortega |first1=Jesús |last2=Díaz-Cruz |first2=Jesús Alberto |date=2021-01-01 |title=Hastichthys totonacus sp. nov., a North American Turonian dercetid fish (Teleostei, Aulopiformes) from the Huehuetla quarry, Puebla, Mexico |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0895981120304430 |journal=Journal of South American Earth Sciences |volume=105 |article-number=102900 |doi=10.1016/j.jsames.2020.102900 |bibcode=2021JSAES.10502900A |issn=0895-9811|url-access=subscription }}][{{Cite journal |date=2019-07-01 |title=Stratigraphy and Paleobiology of the Upper Cretaceous-Lower Paleogene Sediments from the Trans-Saharan Seaway in Mali |doi=10.7934/p2735 |s2cid=242354960 |website=MorphoBank datasets}}]
==Taxonomy==
Past authors have considered aulopiforms to be so distinct as to warrant separation in a monotypic [superorder](/source/superorder) of the [Teleostei](/source/Teleostei), the Cyclosquamata. However, [monotypic](/source/monotypic) taxa are generally avoided by modern [taxonomist](/source/taxonomist)s if not necessary, and in this case a distinct superorder seems indeed unwarranted: together with the equally dubious superorder "[Stenopterygii](/source/Stenopterygii)", the grinners appear to be closely related to some of the [Protacanthopterygii](/source/Protacanthopterygii), namely, the [Salmoniformes](/source/Salmoniformes) (salmon, trout, and relatives), and should perhaps be part of that larger clade. As an alternative, the superorders are sometimes united as an unranked clade named Euteleostei, but in that case the Protacanthopterygii would need to be [split](/source/Lumpers_and_splitters) further to account for the [phylogenetic](/source/phylogenetic) uncertainty. This would result in a highly cumbersome and taxonomically redundant group of two very small and no less than four monotypic superorders.[{{harvtxt|Nelson|2006|p=214}}][{{harvtxt|Diogo|2008}}]
==Description==
[[File:Chlorophthalmus agassizi Sardinia.jpg|thumb|left|200px|A [shortnose greeneye](/source/shortnose_greeneye), ''[Chlorophthalmus agassizi](/source/Chlorophthalmus_agassizi)''
([Chlorophthalmoidei](/source/Chlorophthalmoidei): [Chlorophthalmidae](/source/Chlorophthalmidae))]]
In general, aulopiform fish have a mixture of [advanced](/source/Derived_character) and [primitive characteristics](/source/Symplesiomorph) relative to other [teleost](/source/teleost) fish. Aulopiformes are grouped together (claded) because of [common features](/source/Synapomorph) in the structure of their [gill arch](/source/gill_arch)es; their second [pharyngobranchial](/source/pharyngobranchial) bone (part of the gill arch) is greatly elongated [posterolateral](/source/posterolateral)ly away from third pharyngobranchial, which lacks a [cartilaginous](/source/cartilaginous) [condyle](/source/Condyle_(anatomy)) to articulate with the preceding bone, but is contacted by the elongated [uncinate process](/source/uncinate_process_(disambiguation)) of the second [epibranchial](/source/epibranchial). Aulopiforms have a [gas bladder](/source/gas_bladder) which is either [vestigial](/source/Vestigiality) or entirely absent, a [hypaxialis muscle](/source/hypaxialis_muscle) that is unusually extended forward at its upper end, attaching to the [neurocranium](/source/neurocranium) below the [spine](/source/Vertebral_column) (perhaps to snap the upper part of the skull down when catching prey), and the position of the [maxilla](/source/maxilla)ry bone. Other features include the position of the [pelvic fin](/source/pelvic_fin)s far back on the body, the fused [medial process](/source/medial_process)es of [pelvic girdle](/source/pelvic_girdle), and the presence of an [adipose fin](/source/adipose_fin) (which is also typical for the Protacanthopterygii).[{{harvtxt|Taylor|2009}}]
Several extant aulopiform families have Cretaceous representatives, and phylogenetic evidence indicates that the extant families of the order [diversified](/source/Divergent_evolution) around the [Early Cretaceous](/source/Early_Cretaceous), making it rather ancient. These diversification events included the earliest [adaptation](/source/adaptation)s for deep-sea living, which is common among many extant aulopiform taxa.
([Alepisauroidei](/source/Alepisauroidei): [Paralepididae](/source/Paralepididae))]]
[[File:Tripod fish1.jpg|thumb|Tripodfish; ''[Bathypterois](/source/Bathypterois) sp.''
([Chlorophthalmoidei](/source/Chlorophthalmoidei): [Ipnopidae](/source/Ipnopidae))]]
[[File:Enchodus petrosus.jpg|thumb|''[Enchodus petrosus](/source/Enchodus_petrosus)'', [reconstruction](/source/Paleoart)
([Enchodontoidei](/source/Enchodontoidei): [Enchodontidae](/source/Enchodontidae))]]
[[File:Bathysaurus mollis.jpg|thumb|[Highfin lizardfish](/source/Highfin_lizardfish); ''Bathysaurus mollis''
([Giganturoidei](/source/Giganturoidei): [Bathysauridae](/source/Bathysauridae))]]
* Suborder [Alepisauroidei](/source/Alepisauroidei)
** Family [Alepisauridae](/source/Alepisauridae) – lancetfishes
** Family [Anotopteridae](/source/Anotopteridae) – daggertooths (may belong in Paralepididae)
** Family [Evermannellidae](/source/Evermannellidae) – sabertooth fishes
** Family [Omosudidae](/source/Omosudidae) – hammerjaw (sometimes included in Alepisauridae)
** Family [Paralepididae](/source/Paralepididae) – barracudinas
** Family †[Polymerichthyidae](/source/Polymerichthys) – an extinct alepisauroid closely related to the daggertooths and lancetfish[Uyeno, Teruya. "A Miocene alepisauroid fish of a new family, Polymerichthyidae, from Japan." Bull. Nat. Sci. Mus 10 (1967): 383–394.]
** Family [Scopelarchidae](/source/Scopelarchidae) – pearleyes
* Suborder [Chlorophthalmoidei](/source/Chlorophthalmoidei)
** Family [Bathysauroididae](/source/Bathysauroididae) – [pale deepsea lizardfish](/source/pale_deepsea_lizardfish)
** Family [Bathysauropsidae](/source/Bathysauropsidae) – lizard greeneyes (sometimes included in Ipnopidae)
** Family [Chlorophthalmidae](/source/Chlorophthalmidae) – greeneyes
** Family [Ipnopidae](/source/Ipnopidae) – deepsea tripodfishes
** Family [Notosudidae](/source/Notosudidae) – waryfishes
* Suborder {{extinct}}[Enchodontoidei](/source/Enchodontoidei) (including Halecoidei, Ichthyotringoidei, may belong in Alepisauroidei; [fossil](/source/fossil))
** Genus {{extinct}}''[Nardorex](/source/Nardorex)'' (fossil, tentatively placed here)
** Genus {{extinct}}''[Serrilepis](/source/Serrilepis)'' (fossil, tentatively placed here)
** Genus {{extinct}}''[Yabrudichthys](/source/Yabrudichthys)'' (fossil, tentatively placed here)
** Family {{extinct}}[Apateopholidae](/source/Apateopholidae) (fossil)
** Family {{extinct}}[Cimolichthyidae](/source/Cimolichthyidae) (fossil)
** Family {{extinct}}[Dercetidae](/source/Dercetidae) (fossil)
** Family {{extinct}}[Enchodontidae](/source/Enchodontidae) (fossil)
** Family {{extinct}}[Eurypholidae](/source/Eurypholidae) (fossil)
** Family {{extinct}}[Halecidae](/source/Halecidae) (fossil)
** Family {{extinct}}[Ichthyotringidae](/source/Ichthyotringidae) (fossil)
** Family {{extinct}}[Prionolepididae](/source/Prionolepididae) (fossil)
* Suborder [Giganturoidei](/source/Giganturoidei)
** Family [Bathysauridae](/source/Bathysauridae) – deepwater lizardfishes
** Family [Giganturidae](/source/Giganturidae) – telescopefishes
* Suborder [Synodontoidei](/source/Synodontoidei)
** Family [Aulopidae](/source/Aulopidae) – flagfins
** Family [Paraulopidae](/source/Paraulopidae) – "cucumberfishes"
** Family [Pseudotrichonotidae](/source/Pseudotrichonotidae) – sandliving lizardfishes, sand-diving lizardfishes
** Family [Synodontidae](/source/Synodontidae) – typical lizardfishes
*Suborder ''[incertae sedis](/source/incertae_sedis)''
**?Family {{extinct}}[Cheirothricidae](/source/Cheirothricidae) (fossil, generally considered indeterminate [eurypterygians](/source/Eurypterygia))[{{Cite journal |last=Dietze |first=Kathrin |date=2009-06-01 |title=Morphology and phylogenetic relationships of certain neoteleostean fishes from the Upper Cretaceous of Sendenhorst, Germany |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195667108001559 |journal=Cretaceous Research |volume=30 |issue=3 |pages=559–574 |doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2008.11.001 |bibcode=2009CrRes..30..559D |issn=0195-6671|url-access=subscription }}]
**Genus {{extinct}}''[Aulopopsis](/source/Aulopopsis)'' (fossil)[{{Cite journal |last1=Beckett |first1=Hermione |last2=Giles |first2=Sam |last3=Friedman |first3=Matt |date=2018-11-14 |title=Comparative anatomy of the gill skeleton of fossil Aulopiformes (Teleostei: Eurypterygii) |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14772019.2017.1387184 |journal=Journal of Systematic Palaeontology |language=en |volume=16 |issue=14 |pages=1221–1245 |doi=10.1080/14772019.2017.1387184 |bibcode=2018JSPal..16.1221B |issn=1477-2019}}]
{{extinct}} means extinct.
==Footnotes==
{{Notelist}}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==References==
{{Commons category|Aulopiformes}}
* {{cite journal | last = Diogo | first = Rui | title = On the cephalic and pectoral girdle muscles of the deep sea fish ''Alepocephalus rostratus'', with comments on the functional morphology and phylogenetic relationships of the Alepocephaloidei (Teleostei) | journal = [Anim. Biol.](/source/Animal_Biology_(journal)) | volume = 58 | issue = 1 | pages = 23–29 | doi = 10.1163/157075608X303636 | date = 2008 }}
*{{FishBase order|order=Aulopiformes}}
*{{cite encyclopedia|title=forma|dictionary=[Oxford Latin Dictionary](/source/Oxford_Latin_Dictionary)|editor-last=Glare|editor-first= P.G.W. |edition = 1st|date=1982|publisher = Oxford University Press | location = Oxford | isbn = 0-19-864224-5 }}
*{{cite encyclopedia | last1 = Johnson | first1 = R.K. | last2 = Eschmeyer | first2 = W.N. | date = 1998 | title = Aulopiformes | editor1-last = Paxton | editor1-first = J.R. | editor2-last = Eschmeyer | editor2-first = W.N. | encyclopedia = Encyclopedia of Fishes | pages = 123–126 | publisher = Academic Press | location = San Diego | isbn = 0-12-547665-5 }}
*{{cite book | last = Nelson | first = Joseph S. | date = 2006 | title = [Fishes of the World](/source/Fishes_of_the_World) | edition =4th | publisher = John Wiley & Sons, Inc. | isbn = 0-471-25031-7 }}
*{{cite journal|last=Sepkoski |first=Jack |title=A compendium of fossil marine animal genera |journal=Bulletins of American Paleontology |volume=364 |page=560 |year=2002 |url=http://strata.ummp.lsa.umich.edu/jack/showgenera.php?taxon=611&rank=class |access-date=2011-05-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723131237/http://strata.ummp.lsa.umich.edu/jack/showgenera.php?taxon=611&rank=class |archive-date=2011-07-23 }}
* {{cite web | last = Taylor | first = Christopher | work = Catalogue of Organisms | url = https://catalogue-of-organisms.blogspot.com/2009/01/living-larvae-and-fossil-fish.html | title = Living Larvae and Fossil Fish | date = 2009-02-05 | access-date = 2009-09-28 }}
* {{cite encyclopedia | last = Woodhouse | first = S.C. | date = 1910 |page=330|title=Flute| dictionary = English-Greek Dictionary - A Vocabulary of the Attic Language | publisher = George Routledge & Sons Ltd. | location = Broadway House, Ludgate Hill, E.C. | url = https://artflsrv03.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/efts/sqldbs/WOODHOUSE/woodhouse.py?&pagenumber=330&qtype=page }}
{{Actinopterygii}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q781440}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Aulopiformes
Category:Articles which contain graphical timelines
Category:Actinopterygii orders
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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Aulopiformes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aulopiformes) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aulopiformes?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.