Veliferidae

Metavelifer multiradiatus

The sails carrier ( Veliferidae ) ( Lat. = velum sail; fero = bear ) are a family of gloss Fishy ( Lampriformes ). The 28 to 40 inches long expectant fish live pelagic, mostly near the coast, in the Indian Ocean and the western and central Pacific. They seem to be rare.

Features

Your body is flattened high backs and sides. Dorsal and anal fin are sail -like high and supported 32-44 or 25 to 35 fin rays. The pelvic fins have seven to nine soft rays. The fish are toothless, the swim bladder is large and extends far beyond the anus to the rear.

System

The Veliferidae are considered the most primitive living today gloss Fishy. There are only two monotypic genera:

• Metavelifer Walters, 1960. Metavelifer multiradiatus ( Regan, 1907).

• Velifer hypselopterus Bleeker, 1879.

In addition to the extant species are still two known fossil genera: Veronavelifer from the Eocene of northern Italy and Palaeocentrotus from the Eocene of Denmark. The second genus is usually placed in a separate family, the Palaeocentrotidae.