# Beardfish

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{{Short description|Genus of fishes}}
{{for|the Swedish band|Beardfish (band)}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| name = Beardfishes
| fossil_range = {{fossil range|95|0|earliest=105|Late [Cenomanian](/source/Cenomanian) to present}} Possible [Albian](/source/Albian) occurrence
| image = Polymixia nobilis.jpg
| image_caption = ''[Polymixia nobilis](/source/Polymixia_nobilis)''
| taxon = Polymixiiformes
| authority = [Rosen](/source/Donn_Eric_Rosen) & [Patterson](/source/Colin_Patterson_(biologist)), 1969
| subdivision_ranks = Families
| subdivision = * †[Boreiohydriidae](/source/Boreiohydriidae) <small>Murray & Cumbaa 2013</small>
* †[Dalmatichthyidae](/source/Dalmatichthyidae) <small>Radovčić 1975</small>
* †[Digoriidae](/source/Digoriidae) <small>Bannikov 1985</small>
* †[Dinopterygidae](/source/Dinopterygidae) <small>Jordan, 1923</small>
* '''[Polymixiidae](/source/Polymixiidae)''' <small>[Bleeker](/source/Pieter_Bleeker), 1859</small>
* †[Pycnosteroididae](/source/Pycnosteroididae) <small>Patterson, 1964</small>
| synonyms = * Polymixioidei <small>Bleeker 1859</small>
| type_species = ''[Polymixia nobilis](/source/Polymixia_nobilis)''
| type_species_authority = [R. T. Lowe](/source/Richard_Thomas_Lowe), 1838
}}

The '''beardfishes''' consist of a single extant [genus](/source/genus), ''[Polymixia](/source/Polymixia)'', of deep-sea marine [ray-finned fish](/source/ray-finned_fish) named for their pair of long [hyoid](/source/hyoid) [barbel](/source/barbel_(anatomy))s. They are classified in their own order '''Polymixiiformes''' {{IPAc-en|p|ɒ|l|i|ˈ|m|ɪ|k|s|i|.||ᵻ|f|ɔːr|m|iː|z}}.<ref name="FB">{{FishBase order | order = Polymixiiformes | month = February | year = 2006}}</ref> But as Nelson says, "few groups have been shifted back and forth as frequently as this one, and they were recently added to [Paracanthoptergii](/source/Paracanthopterygii)".<ref>{{cite book | author = Joseph S. Nelson | title = [Fishes of the World](/source/Fishes_of_the_World) | date = 29 April 1994 | publisher = John Wiley & Sons | isbn = 0-471-54713-1}}</ref> For instance, they have previously been classified as belonging to the [Beryciformes](/source/Beryciformes), and are presently considered either paracanthopterygians or the [sister group](/source/sister_group) to [acanthopterygians](/source/Acanthopterygii). They are of little economic importance.<ref name=EoF>{{cite book |editor1=Paxton, J.R. |editor2=Eschmeyer, W.N. |author= Paxton, John R.|year=1998|title=Encyclopedia of Fishes|publisher= Academic Press|location=San Diego|page=161|isbn= 0-12-547665-5}}</ref>

They are found in tropical and subtropical waters of the [Atlantic](/source/Atlantic), [Indian](/source/Indian_Ocean) and western [Pacific Ocean](/source/Pacific_Ocean). They are bottom-dwelling fish, found down to about {{convert|800|m|ft|abbr=on}} depth. Most are relatively small fish, although one species, ''[Polymixia berndti](/source/Polymixia_berndti)'', is over {{convert|40|cm|in|abbr=on}} in length.<ref name=EoF/>

The earliest body fossils are from the Late [Cenomanian](/source/Cenomanian) of [Lebanon](/source/Lebanon), of the genus ''[Pycnosteroides](/source/Pycnosteroides)''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Schrøder |first=Ane Elise |last2=Rasmussen |first2=Jan Audun |last3=Møller |first3=Peter Rask |last4=Carnevale |first4=Giorgio |date=2022-08-31 |title=A new beardfish (Teleostei, Polymixiiformes) from the Eocene Fur Formation, Denmark |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02724634.2022.2142914 |journal=Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology |language=en |volume=42 |issue=2 |doi=10.1080/02724634.2022.2142914 |issn=0272-4634|hdl=10037/28645 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> However, tentative earlier records are known from distinctive fossil [otolith](/source/otolith)s from the [Early Cretaceous](/source/Early_Cretaceous) ([Albian](/source/Albian)) of Texas, USA.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last=Schwarzhans |first=Werner |last2=Stringer |first2=Gary L. |last3=Welton |first3=Bruce |date=2022-12-01 |title=Oldest Teleostean Otolith Assemblage from North America (Pawpaw Formation, Lower Cretaceous, upper Albian, northeast Texas, USA) |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195667122001719 |journal=Cretaceous Research |volume=140 |article-number=105307 |doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2022.105307 |issn=0195-6671|doi-access=free }}</ref> Many different fossil families and genera are known from the [Late Cretaceous](/source/Late_Cretaceous) and early [Cenozoic](/source/Cenozoic), in contrast to the relatively few surviving species in a single genus.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last=Murray |first=Alison M. |date=2014 |title=Mid-Cretaceous acanthomorph fishes with the description of a new species from the Turonian of Lac des Bois, Northwest Territories, Canada |url=https://journals.library.ualberta.ca/vamp/index.php/VAMP/article/view/25439 |journal=Vertebrate Anatomy Morphology Palaeontology |language=en |volume=1 |pages=101–115 |doi=10.18435/B5CC78 |issn=2292-1389|doi-access=free }}</ref> Extant beardfish can thus be considered "[living fossil](/source/living_fossil)s".<ref name="auto">{{Cite journal |last=De Cia Caixeta |first=Heloísa |last2=Oliveira |first2=Claudio |last3=Melo |first3=Marcelo Roberto Souto de |date=2024-03-01 |title=Another piece of the living fossil puzzle: A new species of Polymixia Lowe, 1836 (Polymixiiformes: Polymixiidae) from the western South Atlantic |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0967063724000190 |journal=Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers |volume=205 |article-number=104249 |doi=10.1016/j.dsr.2024.104249 |issn=0967-0637}}</ref>

==Classification==
* '''Order Polymixiiformes''' <small>Rosen & Patterson, 1969</small><ref name=":1" /><ref name="mikko">{{cite web|website=Mikko's Phylogeny Archive|last=Haaramo|first=Mikko|year=2007|title=''Polymixiomorpha – beardfishes and relatives'' |url=http://www.helsinki.fi/~mhaaramo/metazoa/deuterostoma/chordata/actinopterygii/polymixiomorpha.html#Ctenothrissiformes |access-date= 30 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal| website=Collection of genus-group names in a systematic arrangement| title=Part 7- Vertebrates| url=http://mave.tweakdsl.nl/tn/genera7.html| display-authors=etal| access-date=30 June 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161005114629/http://mave.tweakdsl.nl/tn/genera7.html| archive-date=2016-10-05}}</ref>
** Genus ?†''[Allocyclostoma](/source/Allocyclostoma)'' <small>Schwarzhans, Stringer & Welton, 2022</small> <nowiki/>[<nowiki/>[otolith](/source/otolith)]<ref name=":2" />
***†''A. alienus'' <small>Schwarzhans, Stringer & Welton, 2022</small>
** Genus †''[Cumbaaichthys](/source/Cumbaaichthys)'' <small>Murray 2016</small>
*** †''Cumbaaichthys oxyrhynchus'' <small>Murray 2016</small>
**Genus †''[Severnichthys](/source/Severnichthys)'' <small>Stringer & Schwarzhans, 2021</small> [<nowiki/>otolith]<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Stringer |first=Gary |last2=Schwarzhans |first2=Werner |date=2021 |title=Upper Cretaceous teleostean otoliths from the Severn Formation (Maastrichtian) of Maryland, USA, with an unusual occurrence of Siluriformes and Beryciformes and the oldest Atlantic coast Gadiformes |journal=Cretaceous Research |volume=125 |article-number=104867 |doi=10.1016/j.cretres.2021.104867 |issn=0195-6671|doi-access=free }}</ref>
***†''S. beauryi'' <small>(Schwarzhans, 2010)</small>
***†''S. bourdoni'' <small>Stringer & Schwarzhans, 2021</small>
**Genus ?†''[Texoma](/source/Texoma_(fish))'' <small>Schwarzhans, Stringer & Welton, 2022</small> [otolith]<ref name=":2" />
***†''T. cyclogaster'' <small>Schwarzhans, Stringer & Welton, 2022</small>
** '''Family''' †'''[Boreiohydriidae](/source/Boreiohydriidae)''' <small>Murray & Cumbaa 2013</small>
*** Genus †''[Boreiohydrias](/source/Boreiohydrias)'' <small>Murray & Cumbaa 2013</small>
**** †''Boreiohydrias dayi'' <small>Murray & Cumbaa 2013</small>
** '''Family''' †'''[Dalmatichthyidae](/source/Dalmatichthys)''' <small>Radovčić 1975</small>
*** Genus †''[Dalmatichthys](/source/Dalmatichthys)'' <small>Radovčić 1975</small>
**** †''Dalmatichthys malezi'' <small>Radovčić 1975</small>
** '''Family''' †'''[Digoriidae](/source/Digoriidae)''' <small>Bannikov 1985</small>
*** Genus †''[Digoria](/source/Digoria_(genus))'' <small>Daniltshenko, 1980</small>
**** †''Digoria ambigua'' <small>Daniltshenko, 1980</small>
** Family †'''[Dinopterygidae](/source/Dinopteryx)''' <small>Jordan, 1923</small>
*** Genus †''[Dinopteryx](/source/Dinopteryx)'' <small>Woodward, 1901</small>
**** †''Dinopteryx spinosus'' <small>(Davis, 1887)</small>
** '''Family [Polymixiidae](/source/Polymixiidae)''' <small>Gill 1862</small> [Berycopsidae <small>Regan 1911</small>; Dalmatichthyidae <small>Radovčić 1975</small>; Omosomopsidae <small>Gaudant 1978</small>; Homonotichthyidae <small>Whitley 1933</small>]
*** Genus †''[Apricenaichthys](/source/Apricenaichthys)'' <small>Taverne 2011</small>
**** †''Apricenaichthys italicus'' 
*** Genus †''[Berycopsia](/source/Berycopsia)'' <small>Radovčić 1975</small>
**** †''Berycopsia inopinnata'' <small>Radovčić 1975</small>
*** Genus †''[Berycopsis](/source/Berycopsis)'' <small>Dixon 1850</small> [''[Platycormus](/source/Platycormus)'' <small>von der Marck 1900</small>]
**** †''B. elegans'' <small>Dixon 1850</small> [''Platycormus elegans'' <small>(Dixon 1850)</small>]
**** †''B. germana'' <small>(Agassiz 1839)</small> [''Beryx germanus'' <small>Agassiz 1839</small>; ''Platycormus germanus'' <small>(Agassiz 1839)</small>]
**** †''B. pulcher'' <small>Bannikov & Bacchia 2004</small>
***Genus †''[Cowetaichthys](/source/Cowetaichthys)'' <small>Schwarzhans, Huddleston & Takeuchi, 2018</small> [otolith]<ref>{{Cite journal |last=SCHWARZHANS |first=WERNER W. |last2=HUDDLESTON |first2=RICHARD W. |last3=TAKEUCHI |first3=GARY T. |date=2018-01-22 |title=A LATE SANTONIAN FISH-FAUNA FROM THE EUTAW FORMATION OF ALABAMA RECONSTRUCTED FROM OTOLITHS |url=https://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/RIPS/article/view/9624 |journal=Rivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia (Research In Paleontology and Stratigraphy) |language=en |volume=V. 124 |pages=N. 1 (2018) |doi=10.13130/2039-4942/9624}}</ref>
****†''C. alabamae'' <small>Schwarzhans, Huddleston & Takeuchi, 2018</small>
****†''C. beauryi'' <small>(Schwarzhans, 2010)</small>
****†''C. carnevalei'' <small>Schwarzhans & Stringer, 2020</small>
****†''C. groenlandicus'' <small>(Schwarzhans, 2004)</small>
****†''C. harderi'' <small>(Schwarzhans, 2003)</small>
****†''C. lamberi'' <small>Schwarzhans, Huddleston & Takeuchi, 2018</small>
*** Genus †''[Homonotichthys](/source/Homonotichthys)'' <small>Whitley 1933</small>
**** †''H. dorsalis'' <small>(Dixon 1850)</small> [''Homonotus dorsalis'' <small>Dixon 1850</small>]
**** †''H. elegans'' <small>(Dixon 1850)</small> [''Homonotus elegans'' <small>Dixon 1850</small>]
**** †''H. rotundus'' <small>(Woodward 1902)</small> [''Homonotus rotundus'' <small>Woodward 1902</small>]
***Genus †''[Namicauda](/source/Namicauda)'' <small>Schwarzhans, Ohe & Ando, 2017</small> [otolith]<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Schwarzhans |first=Werner |last2=Ohe |first2=Fumio |last3=Ando |first3=Yusuke |date=2017 |title=An Early Oligocene fish-fauna from Japan reconstructed from otoliths |url=https://epub.ub.uni-muenchen.de/40475/ |journal=Zitteliana |pages=3–26 |doi=10.5282/ubm/epub.40475 |issn=0373-9627}}</ref>
****†''Namicauda pulvinata'' <small>Schwarzhans, Ohe & Ando, 2017</small>
*** Genus †''[Omosoma](/source/Omosoma)'' <small>Costa 1857</small>
**** †''O. garretti'' <small>Bardack 1976</small>
**** †''O. pulchellum'' <small>Davis 1887</small>
**** †''O. sahelalmae'' <small>Costa 1857</small>
**** †''O. tselfatense'' <small>Gaudant 1978</small>
*** Genus †''[Omosomopsis](/source/Omosomopsis)'' <small>Gaudant 1978</small>
**** †''Omosomopsis sima'' <small>(Arambourg 1954) Gaudant 1978</small>
*** Genus †''[Parapolymixia](/source/Parapolymixia)'' <small>David 1946</small>
**** †''Parapolymixia californica'' <small>David 1946</small>
*** Genus †''[Pycnosterinx](/source/Pycnosterinx)'' <small>Heckel 1849</small> [''[Imogaster](/source/Imogaster)'' <small>Costa 1857</small>] 
**** †''P. discoides'' <small>Heckel 1849</small>
**** †''P. dorsalis'' <small>Pictet 1850</small>
**** †''P. heckelii'' <small>Pictet 1850</small>
**** †''P. latus'' <small>Davis 1887</small>
**** †''P. russeggeri'' <small>Heckel 1849</small> [''Homonotus pulcher'' <small>Davis 1886</small>]
*** Genus ''[Polymixia](/source/Polymixia)'' <small>Lowe 1836</small> [''[Dinemus](/source/Dinemus)'' <small>Poey 1860</small>; ''[Nemobrama](/source/Nemobrama)'' <small>Valenciennes 1860 non Jordan, Evermann & Clark 1930</small>] 
**** ''[P. berndti](/source/Polymixia_berndti)'' <small>Gilbert 1905</small> (Pacific beardfish)
**** ''[P. busakhini](/source/Polymixia_busakhini)'' <small>Kotlyar 1993</small> (Busakhin's beardfish)
**** ''[P. carmenae](/source/Polymixia_carmenae)'' <small>Caixeta, Oliveira & de Melo, 2024</small> (Brazilian beardfish)<ref name="auto"/>
**** ''[P. fusca](/source/Polymixia_fusca)'' <small>Kotthaus 1970</small>
**** †?''[P. harderi](/source/Polymixia_harderi)'' <small>(Schwarzhans 2003)</small> [otolith]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-02-15 |title=Bulletin Volume 65 – 2017 |url=https://2dgf.dk/publikationer/bulletin/bulletin-volume-65-2017/ |access-date=2024-07-28 |website=Dansk Geologisk Forening |language=da-DK |doi=10.37570/bgsd-2017-65-05}}</ref>
**** ''[P. hollisterae](/source/Polymixia_hollisterae)'' <small>Grande & Wilson, 2021</small> (Bermuda beardfish)
**** ''[P. japonica](/source/Polymixia_japonica)'' <small>Günther 1877</small> (Silver eye)
**** ''[P. longispina](/source/Polymixia_longispina)'' <small>Deng, Xiong & Zhan 1983</small> [''Polymixia kawadae'' <small>Okamura & Ema 1985</small>]
**** ''[P. lowei](/source/Polymixia_lowei)'' <small>Günther 1859</small> (Beardfish)
**** ''[P. nobilis](/source/Polymixia_nobilis)'' <small>Lowe 1838</small> [''Nemobrama webbii'' <small>Valenciennes 1837</small>; ''Dinemus venustus'' <small>Poey 1860</small>; ''Polymixia nobilis virginica'' <small>Nichols & Firth 1936</small>] (Stout beardfish)
**** †''[P. polita](/source/Polymixia_polita)'' <small>Schwarzhans 2012</small> [otolith]
**** ''[P. salagomeziensis](/source/Polymixia_salagomeziensis)'' <small>Kotlyar 1991</small>
**** ''[P. sazonovi](/source/Polymixia_sazonovi)'' <small>Kotlyar 1992</small>
**** ''[P. yuri](/source/Polymixia_yuri)'' <small>Kotlyar 1982</small>[[File:Eocene fish from the Fur Formation.jpg|thumb|Fossil of ''[Polyspinatus](/source/Polyspinatus)'']]
***Genus †''[Polyspinatus](/source/Polyspinatus)'' <small>Schrøder, Rasmussen, Møller & Carnevale, 2022</small><ref name=":0" />
****†''Polyspinatus fluere'' <small>Schrøder, Rasmussen, Møller & Carnevale, 2022</small>
**Family †'''[Pycnosteroididae](/source/Pycnosteroididae)''' <small>Patterson, 1964</small>
***Genus †''[Magrebichthys](/source/Magrebichthys)'' <small>Murray & Wilson 2014</small>
**** †''Magrebichthys nelsoni'' <small>Murray & Wilson 2014</small>
***Genus †''[Pycnosteroides](/source/Pycnosteroides)'' <small>Woodward, 1942</small>
****†''Pycnosteroides levispinosus'' <small>(Hay, 1903)</small>

==References==
{{Reflist}}
* {{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 }}

{{Actinopterygii}}
{{Taxonbar|from1=Q1922429|from2=Q3907757}}

Category:Polymixiiformes
Category:Fish of Hawaii
Category:Extant Cenomanian first appearances

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Beardfish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beardfish) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beardfish?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.