Classification

Annotated classification

Classification in the superorder Osteoglossomorpha is based largely on skeletal characters, in particular the caudal fin skeleton, the bones around the eye, and the gill arches and their associated dentition. Details of the inner ear and swim bladder anatomy are also of importance. The classification used here is based on that of J.S. Nelson (2006). Groups indicated by a dagger (†) are extinct and known only from fossils.

• Superorder Osteoglossomorpha

  • Order Osteoglossiformes

    Primitive; well-developed teeth on tongue, skull base, and bones of the mouth cavity; caudal fin skeleton of characteristic form. Early Cretaceous to present.

    • Suborder Osteoglossoidei

      Swim bladder not connected with skull; semicircular canals and lower part of inner ear connected; electric organs absent.

      • Family Osteoglossidae (bonytongues and arapaimas)

        Fishes of diverse body form; pectoral fins not greatly enlarged, pelvic fins abdominal in position. 6 genera, about 8 species. Living genera include Arapaima (1 species) and Osteoglossum (2 species), South America; Scleropages (2 species), Australia, New Guinea, Borneo, Sumatra, Malaysia, Thailand; Heterotis (1 species), Africa; and Pantodon (1 species), Africa.

      • †Family Singididae

        Apparently toothless; monotypic genus (Singida) from Paleocene of Tanzania (East Africa).

    • Suborder Notopteroidei

      Swim bladder connected with the skull; semicircular canals separate from lower part of ear or, if connected, utriculus greatly enlarged; no electric organs.

      • †Family Lycopteridae

        Small freshwater fishes resembling hiodontiforms. 4 genera, 6 species. Early Cretaceous of northeastern Asia.

      • Family Notopteridae (knifefishes or featherbacks).

        Long anal fin confluent with reduced caudal; dorsal fin small or absent. 8 species in 4 genera: Papyrocranus (2 species) and Xenomystus (1 species) in Africa, Chitala (4 species) and Notopterus (1 species) in Asia. Fossil Notopterus from Miocene and Late Paleocene of Sumatra.

    • Suborder Mormyroidei

      With electrical organs; very diverse head shape and mouth form. 2 families, about 200 species. Confined to Africa; fossils from Pliocene of Egypt.

      • Family Mormyridae (mormyrs and elephant-snout fishes)

        Anal, caudal, and dorsal fins present; about 18 genera, approximately 200 species.

      • Family Gymnarchidae

        No anal fin; long dorsal confluent with reduced caudal fin. 1 genus, 1 species (Gymnarchus niloticus).

  • Order Hiodontiformes

    • Family Hiodontidae (goldeyes and mooneyes)

      Probably the most primitive living osteoglossomorphs. 1 genus (Hiodon), 2 species (H. alosoides and H. tergisus), confined to North America. Fossil from Eocene of British Columbia (Eohiodon rosei).

Critical appraisal

Taxonomic problems of the osteoglossomorphs primarily concern intragroup relationships. The superorder as a whole presents problems of relationship with the other teleostean lineages. American ichthyologist Gloria Arratia, who claims that the caudal skeleton of the elopomorph, Elops, is more primitive, has challenged the basal position of osteoglossomorphs. Certain fossil groups—such as the Eocene genus Brychaetus and the Mesozoic families Cladocyclidae and Ichthyodectidae—are osteoglossomorphs, but their relationship with the living groups is still obscure. In addition, within the superorder, some classifications demote the hiodontiforms to a family (Hiodontidae) contained within the order Osteoglossiformes.