Osmeriformes

Arctic smelt ( Osmerus mordax )

The smelt -like ( Osmeriformes (Size: osme = bad smell Lat: . Forma = shape) ) are one of the genuine bony fish ( Teleostei ). They live in the northern hemisphere of the earth as well as in New Zealand, Tasmania, southeastern Australia, and on the Chatham Islands in cool and temperate regions in brackish and freshwater, some species occasionally in the sea. Only a few species of the family Salangidae also occur in tropical areas. With the exception of the European stint ( Osmerus eperlanus ) and possibly one or two types of Salangiden all smelt -like spawn in fresh water.

Features

Smelt -like are slim, elongated fish and are 5 to 40 centimeters long. The rear part of the vomer is short. Basisphenoid and Orbitosphenoid (two cranial bones ) are missing. Teeth on the Mesopterygoid, a bone between pterygoid (wing bone) and Metapterygoid are reduced. An adipose fin may be present or absent. The scales are no concentric growth rings.

Outer systematics

The smelt -like were formerly placed in the sub- cohort Protacanthopterygii along with the salmon -like ( Salmoniformes ), formerly counted among the smelt -like order of the silver smelt -like ( Argentiniformes ) and the pike -like ( Esociformes ). New studies show that they are, however, the sister group of the Maulstachler ( Stomiiformes ), an order partially ausssehender bizarre deep-water fish. Therefore, they are spun in the recent revision of the systematics of the bony fish Protacanthopterygii and form instead with the jaw Stach learning the sub- cohort of Stomiatii.

Phylogenetic position of the smelt -like:

Lepidogalaxii ( salamander fish)

Gold Lachsartige ( Argentiniformes )

Galaxies ( Galaxiiformes )

Pike -like ( Esociformes )

Lachsartige ( Salmoniformes )

Stint behaved ( Osmeriformes )

Maulstachler ( Stomiiformes )

Neoteleostei

Inside systematics

The smelt -like divided into four families, 14 genera and about 40 species. The former subordination Argentinoidei ( with the smelt -like the cucumber odor occurring in each of several species in common), the family of the galaxies and the Western Australian salamander fish are now run in stand-alone systems ( Argentiniformes, Galaxiiformes and Lepidogalaxiiformes ), so that only four families in the smelt -like remains.

• Family smelts ( Osmeridae )
• Family Ayu ( Plecoglossidae )
• New Zealand salmon family ( Retropinnidae )
• Family Salangidae

Phylogeny

The carnivore and marine species Spaniodon from the Late Cretaceous is possibly the oldest stint like fish. The extant genus Osmerus is already in the fossil record from the Miocene, Mallotus only from the Pleistocene.

Hazardous situation

The World Conservation Union IUCN leads five types of order -like stint in the Red List of Threatened Species. The type Hypomesus transpacificus is designated as endangered ( Endangered ), other 3 species are considered not at risk (Least Concern ) seen and is a kind of lack of sufficient data (Data Deficient ) not rated.