# Elops

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Elops
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Elops.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elops
> Source revision: 1345029336
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Genus of fishes

Elops Temporal range: Early Cretaceous (Aptian) to present PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Elops saurus Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Elopiformes Family: Elopidae Genus: Elops Linnaeus, 1766 Species See text

***Elops*** is a [genus](/source/Genus) of marine [ray-finned fish](/source/Actinopterygii) found worldwide, and the only extant member of the ancient family [Elopidae](/source/Elopidae). They are commonly known as **ladyfish**, **skipjacks**, **jack-rashes**, or **tenpounders**.

They are fished, but their bodies are bony, so these fish are not marketed widely for consumption. They are caught and used as bait or may be ground down for fish meal.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

## Taxonomy

The currently recognized extant species in this genus are:[1]

- *[Elops affinis](/source/Elops_affinis)* [Regan](/source/Charles_Tate_Regan), 1909 (Pacific ladyfish)

- *[Elops hawaiensis](/source/Elops_hawaiensis)* Regan, 1909 (Hawaiian ladyfish or giant herring)

- *[Elops lacerta](/source/Elops_lacerta)* [Valenciennes](/source/Achille_Valenciennes), 1847 (West African ladyfish or Guinean ladyfish)

- *[Elops machnata](/source/Elops_machnata)* ([Forsskål](/source/Peter_Forssk%C3%A5l), 1775) (tenpounder)

- *[Elops saurus](/source/Elops_saurus)* [Linnaeus](/source/Carl_Linnaeus), 1766 (ladyfish)

- *[Elops senegalensis](/source/Elops_senegalensis)* Regan, 1909 (Senegalese ladyfish)

- *[Elops smithi](/source/Elops_smithi)* [McBride](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Richard_S._McBride&action=edit&redlink=1), [Rocha](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Claudia_R._Rocha&action=edit&redlink=1), [Ruiz-Carus](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ramon_Ruiz-Carus&action=edit&redlink=1) & [Bowen](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Brian_W._Bowen&action=edit&redlink=1), 2010 (malacho)[2]

The following fossil species are known, all from [otoliths](/source/Otolith):

- †*[Elops bultyncki](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Elops_bultyncki&action=edit&redlink=1)* Nolf, 2004 - [Early Cretaceous](/source/Early_Cretaceous) ([Aptian](/source/Aptian)) of Spain

- †*[Elops eutawanus](/source/Elops_eutawanus)* Schwarzhans et al., 2018 - [Late Cretaceous](/source/Late_Cretaceous) ([Santonian](/source/Santonian)) of Alabama, USA

- †*[Elops miiformis](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Elops_miiformis&action=edit&redlink=1)* Lin et al., 2016 - Middle [Eocene](/source/Eocene) ([Lutetian](/source/Lutetian)) of France[3]

- †*[Elops ramaekersii](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Elops_ramaekersii&action=edit&redlink=1)* Schwarzhans, 1985 - [Paleocene](/source/Paleocene) or [early Eocene](/source/Ypresian) of [Ellesmere Island](/source/Ellesmere_Island), Canada)[4]

- ?†*[Elops undulatus](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Elops_undulatus&action=edit&redlink=1)* Stinton, 1966 - early Eocene of England[4]

Excluding these fossil otoliths, the earliest fossil remains of *Elops* are known from the [Early Oligocene](/source/Rupelian) of Germany.[5]

Phylogenetic analyses indicate that, in contrast to the ancient nature of the group, the modern species diversity within *Elops* originates from a relatively recent evolutionary radiation.[6]

## Description

The ladyfish are a coastal-dwelling fish found throughout the tropical and subtropical regions, occasionally venturing into temperate waters.[7] [Spawning](/source/Spawning) takes place at sea, and the [fish larvae](/source/Fish_larva) migrate inland entering brackish waters. Their food is smaller fish and [crustaceans](/source/Crustacean) ([shrimp](/source/Shrimp)). Typically throughout the species, the maximum size is 1 m (3.3 ft) and the maximum weight 10 kg (22 lb). The body is fusiform (tapering spindle shape) and oval in cross-section; being slightly laterally compressed, and the eyes are large and partially covered with [adipose eyelids](/source/Adipose_eyelid).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

Like those of [eels](/source/Eel), the larvae are [leptocephalic](/source/Leptocephalus) - being highly compressed, ribbon-like, and transparent. After initial growth, they shrink and then metamorphose into the adult form.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-mikko_1-0)** Haaramo, Mikko (2007). ["*Elopiformes – Tarpons and Tenpounders*"](http://www.helsinki.fi/~mhaaramo/metazoa/deuterostoma/chordata/actinopterygii/elopiformes.html). *Mikko's Phylogeny Archive*. Retrieved 30 December 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-n.sp._2-0)** McBride, Richard S.; Rocha, Claudia R.; Ruiz-Carus, Ramon; Bowen, Brian W. (2012). ["A new species of ladyfish, of the genus *Elops* (Elopiformes: Elopidae), from the western Atlantic Ocean"](http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2010/f/zt02346p041.pdf) (PDF). *Zootaxa*. **2346**: 29–41.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Lin, Chien-Hsiang; Nolf, Dirk; Steurbaut, Etienne; Girone, Angela (2017-11-02). ["Fish otoliths from the Lutetian of the Aquitaine Basin (SW France), a breakthrough in the knowledge of the European Eocene ichthyofauna"](https://doi.org/10.1080/14772019.2016.1246112). *Journal of Systematic Palaeontology*. **15** (11): 879–907. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2017JSPal..15..879L](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2017JSPal..15..879L). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1080/14772019.2016.1246112](https://doi.org/10.1080%2F14772019.2016.1246112). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1477-2019](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1477-2019).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_4-1) Schwarzhans, Werner (1986). ["Fish otoliths from the lower Tertiary of Ellesmere Island"](https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/e86-080). *Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences*. **23** (6): 787–793. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[1986CaJES..23..787S](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1986CaJES..23..787S). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1139/e86-080](https://doi.org/10.1139%2Fe86-080). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0008-4077](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0008-4077).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Micklich, N.; Parin, N. (1995). ["The fishfauna of Frauenweiler (Middle Oligocene, Rupelian; Germany): First results of a review"](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309050347). *Publ. Espec. Inst. Esp. Oceanogr*. **21**: 129–148.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** de Sousa, Rodrigo Petry Corrêa; Bessa-Brito, Carla Denise; Guimarães-Costa, Auryceia; Evangelista-Gomes, Grazielle; Sampaio, Iracilda; de Oliveira, Edivaldo Herculano Corrêa; Vallinoto, Marcelo (2022-11-20). ["Exploring the Diversity of Elopidae (Teleostei; Elopiformes) Using DNA Barcoding Analysis"](https://doi.org/10.3390%2Fd14111008). *Diversity*. **14** (11): 1008. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2022Diver..14.1008D](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2022Diver..14.1008D). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.3390/d14111008](https://doi.org/10.3390%2Fd14111008). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1424-2818](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1424-2818).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Adams, A. J., Horodysky, A. Z., McBride, R. S., Guindon, K., Shenker, J., MacDonald, T. C., Harwell, H. D., Ward, R., and Carpenter, K. Global conservation status and research needs for tarpons (Megalopidae), ladyfishes (Elopidae) and bonefishes (Albulidae). Fish and Fisheries (online, early view as of 2013). [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/faf.12017/abstract](http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/faf.12017/abstract)

v t e Elopomorph genera Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Subclass: Neopterygii Infraclass: Teleostei Actinopterygii see Actinopterygii Neopterygii see Neopterygii Teleostei see Teleostei Elopomorpha see below↓ Elopomorpha Elopiformes †Anaethalion †Aulothrissus †Daitingichthys †Davichthys †Echinelops †Eichstaettia †Elopsomolos †Eoprotelops †Epaelops †Flindersichthys †Ichthyemidion †Leptoelops †Naiathaelon †Protelops †Phyllodontidae? Egertonia Eodiaphyodus Paralbula Phyllodus Pseudoegertonia Elopidae †Ctenodentelops Elops †Kipalelops †Lyrolepis †Protoelops Megalopidae †Arratiaelops †Brouweria †Elopoides †Ikawaihere Megalops †Paratarpon †Promegalops †Protarpon †Sedenhorstia Albuliformes †Baugeichthys †Brannerion †Bullichthys †Euroka †Farinichthys †Holcolepis †Lebonichthys †Marathonichthys †Osmeroides †Palealbula †Paraelops †Protalbula †Stewartichthys Albulidae Albula †Casierius †Deltaichthys †Elopothrissus †Hajulia †Istieus †Italoalbula Nemoossis †Nunaneichthys †Phosphonatator †Pteralbula Pterothrissus Notacanthiformes Notacanthidae Lipogenys Notacanthus Polyacanthonotus Halosauridae Aldrovandia †Echidnocephalus Halosauropsis Halosaurus †Laytonia Anguilliformes see Eels Category Commons

Taxon identifiers Elops Wikidata: Q909535 Wikispecies: Elops AFD: Elops BOLD: 4061 CoL: C9L45 EoL: 46561203 GBIF: 2346674 iNaturalist: 51421 ITIS: 161110 NCBI: 7927 Open Tree of Life: 329622 Paleobiology Database: 35322 Plazi: B315E19E-30E6-F00A-0681-0AF32E984409 WoRMS: 157873

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