Superorder Osteoglossomorpha IB Ichthyology Blake Bushman Blake Ruebush Blake Ruebush

Taxonomy Kingdom - Animalia Phylum - Chordata Class - Actinopterygii Superorder – Osteoglossomorpha Order – Hiodontiformes Hiodontidae – mooneyes Order - Osteoglossiformes Osteoglossidae – bony tongues Pantodontidae – butterfly fish Notopteridae – featherfin knifefishes Mormyridae – elephantfishes Gymnarchidae

Taxonomy Considered the living sister group of all other teleosts Hiodontiformes – Paraphyletic –Greenwood 1970 Osteoglossiformes – Monophyletic Characteristics –Nasal bone gutter –0-2 Uroneural bones –15 or fewer caudal fin rays

History Superorder – Greenwood, Rosen, Weitzman, and Myers 1966 Since 1970 many fossils have been found on all continents except Antartica Related fossil groups – Lycopteridae and Kuyangichthidae Hiodontiformes – McAllister 1968, Taverne 1979 Most primitive living teleosts

General Facts 217 species Most primitive living teleosts Live in freshwater Mostly tropical

Distribution All continents except EuropeS.A. – arapaisua or pirarucu, Arapaima gigas (one of the world’s largest freshwater fish) N.A. –mooneye, Hiodon tergisus – goldeye, Hiodon alosiodes

Hiodontidae - Mooneyes Resemble shad Lateral line and untoothed keel No spines, 1 dorsal fin 2 species – –goldeye, Hiodon alosoides – –mooneye, Hiodon tergisus

- bony tongues Osteoglossidae - bony tongues S.A., Africa, Asia, Australia Large, thick scales Bony plates Large eyes

Arapaima gigas Osteoglossidae – arapaima, Arapaima gigas Amazon River Basin One of the largest FW fish in the world 450 cm, 440 lbs Gray with orange speckling near caudal fin Popular food and sport fish 50% of body weight is boneless meat

Pantodontidae – butterfly fish West Africa rivers Calm water with surface cover Wing-like pectoral fins Jump and glide Average TL 10 cm Upturned mouths

- Notopteridae - Featherfin knifefishes Africa and S.E. Asia Small dorsal fin Adults – brown Juveniles – brown with bars Brackish water Can grow to 61 cm

Mormyridae – elephant fishes 200 species Highly evolved electric sense Produces and detects electrical fields Mouth extended into a trunk Nocturnal Turbid waters – Nile River, Africa 9-50 cm (largest found 1.5m) Largest cerebellum of any fish (human ratio) Large learning capacity Play behavior

Gymnarchidae Tropical Africa, Nile River Elongate body No anal, caudal, or pelvic fins Wave-like motion Average size 90 cm 150 cm max. Electric organ

Anatomy / Sensory Systems Hiodontiformes –Large eyes –No scales on head –No spines in fins Osteoglossiformes –Well-developed teeth on tongue –Primary bite between tongue and parasphenoid (roof of mouth) –Caudal fin rays – no more than 17-18

Anatomy / Sensory Systems - Osteoglossidae - Arapaima – – Emit pheremones from head to signal danger to larvae – – Surface every minutes for respiration

Reproduction MOST REPRODUCE DURING RAINY SEASON Hiodontidae – semibuoyant eggs, drift in streams Osteoglossomorpha – mouthbrooders and nest builders – –Arapaima – eggs and larvae guarded by male and occasionally by female for up to 14 weeks

Reproduction Pantodontidae – non-guarding, open water sub- stratum egg scatterers; eggs Notopteridae – eggs laid in small clumps of vegetatin, 1,200-3,000 eggs Mormyridae – male protects eggs and larvae, eggs in a nest Gymnarchidae – guard eggs

Predator – Prey Interactions Mormyridae – small crustaceans, insect larva, other invertebrates Notopteridae – insects, crustaceans, and small fishes Pantodontidae – surface feeders – insects, insect larva, crustaceans, small fishes Hiodontidae – aquatic insects, invertebrates, small fishes

Predator – Prey Interactions Osteoglossidae – arapaima – fish, birds, small mammals (very opportunistic) Q Q

Conservation Concerns Osteoglossidae – arapaima – – Some areas of the Amazon are being overfished – – Large fish scarce – likely due to larger fish being harvested more frequently

Popular Aquarium Species South American arowana African flying fish Notopterid featherfins Mormyrdi elephant fishes

Interesting Facts - Osteoglossidae - Arapaima – Scales are sold as fingernail files (6 cm long) – Bony tongue is used to prepare dried guarana Notice Large Scales

Review Questions 1 When do most Osteoglossomorpha spawn? On what continents are Osteoglossomorpha found? What is significant about the brain of the What is significant about the brain of the Mormyridae (elephant fishes)?

Review Questions 2 Describe the fins of Gymnarchidae and how they move through the water. What are the concerns about future arapaima populations?

References "Featherfin Knifefish." Animal-World. 3 Sept Sept Fenner, Bob. "The Elephantfishes, family Mormyridae, In Aquariums." Wet Web Media. 15 Sept "Freshwater butterflyfish." Wikipedia. 8 July Sept Froese, Rainer. "Gymnarchus niloticus." Discover Life. 24 July Sept Kirschbaum, Frank. "Osteoglossiformes." Answers.com. 15 Sept Li, Guo-Qing and Wilson, Mark V. H Early divergence of Hiodontiformes sensu stricto in East Asia and phylogeny of some Late Mesozoic teleosts from China. Mesozoic Fishes 2 – Systematics and Fossil Record, G. Arratia & H.-P. Schultze (eds.): Helfman, Gene S., Collette, B.B., and Facey, DE The Diversity of Fishes. Blackwell Science, Inc. "Mormyridae." Discover Life. 4 Oct The Polistes Corporation. 15 Sept Ortañez, Kareen A., ed. "Notopterus notopterus." Discover Life. 24 July Sept Page, Lawrence M. and Brooks M. Burr Freshwater Fishes. Peterson Field Guides, Houghton Mifflin Company. p. 36. "Pantodontidae." High Beam Encyclopedia. 16 Sept Peters. "Pantodon buchholzi." Fishbase.net. 24 July Sept Pictures