Some fish have small mouths. They do not have teeth. These fish live in salt water. They also live in fresh water. They can tell if a friend is hurt. This helps them stay safe. Do you like to swim?
Some fish have small mouths. They have no teeth. These fish live in salt water. They also live in fresh water.
Some fish can hear well. They use parts in their head. This helps them listen.
These fish can also send signals. They release a thing from their skin. This happens when they are hurt.
Other fish feel it in the water. This tells them to be careful. It is like a tiny alarm.
It is a smart way to stay safe.
Gonorynchiformes are a group of fish. Some live in salt water. Others live in fresh water. One type is the milkfish. People use milkfish for food. These fish have small mouths. They also have no teeth.
These fish have a special way to hear. They use a Weberian apparatus. This is a set of parts in their head. It uses bones from their spine. This helps them listen to sounds. It is a simple version of what carp use.
These fish can also send a signal. They do this if they get hurt. They let out a substance from their skin. This substance goes into the water. It acts as an alarm for other fish. This helps the group stay safe.
Scientists study many families in this group. Some families are very small. There are also fossil fish from long ago. The name of this group comes from old words. It means snout angle form.
Gonorynchiformes is a special group of ray-finned fish. Some of these fish live in the ocean. Others live in fresh water like rivers. One very important member is the milkfish. People use the milkfish as a food source. This group is part of a larger group called Anotophysi. It is also part of the superorder Ostariophysi.
These fish have a unique way of hearing. They use a Weberian apparatus to listen. This is a set of bones in their head. It is made from the first three vertebrae. It also uses one or more cephalic ribs. This apparatus is a simple version of a hearing organ. It is more primitive than the one found in carp.
Scientists have studied these fish for a long time. The order was named in 1966. Greenwood, Rosen, Weitzman, and Myers gave them this name. The family Chanidae was named by Günther in 1868. The family Gonorynchidae was named by Richardson in 1848. Other families like Kneriidae were also named by Günther. Phractolaemidae was named by Boulenger in 1901.
There are many different families in this order. The Chanidae family includes the milkfishes. The Gonorynchidae family has beaked sandfishes. The Kneriidae family includes shellears. The Phractolaemidae family has snake mudheads. Some of these families are quite small. There are also fossil fish from long ago. The name comes from Ancient Greek and Latin words. It means snout angle form.
These fish have a clever way to stay safe. They can send a signal to their friends. If a fish is injured, its skin releases a substance. This substance dissolves into the water. It acts as an alarm signal for other fish. This is similar to how carp act. It helps the living things around them notice danger.
Gonorynchiformes is an order of ray-finned fish. This group includes many different types of fish. Some live in the salty water of the ocean. Others live in fresh water like rivers. One very important member of this group is the milkfish. The milkfish belongs to the family Chanidae. It is a major food source for people.
These fish have very specific physical traits. They possess small mouths. They also have no teeth at all. The name Gonorynchiformes comes from several ancient languages. It uses the Ancient Greek words gōnía and rhúnkhos. Gōnía means "angle" and rhúnkhos means "snout." The name also uses the Latin word formes. Together, these parts mean "snout angle form."
One of the most interesting parts of these fish is their hearing. They have a primitive Weberian apparatus. This is a special structure used for hearing. It is formed by the first three vertebrae. It also includes one or more cephalic ribs. These ribs are located within the head. This apparatus is a simpler version of what other fish have. For example, carp have a more advanced and complex version.
These fish also have a way to communicate danger. They can produce a special substance from their skin. This happens when a fish is injured. The substance dissolves directly into the surrounding water. Once in the water, it acts as an alarm signal. This signal warns other fish that danger is near. This process is very similar to how cypriniform fish behave.
Scientists use a specific system to classify these fish. Gonorynchiformes is the only group in the clade Anotophysi. This clade is a subgroup of the superorder Ostariophysi. There are several different families within this order. Some families are quite small. However, there are also fossil genera from the past. These fossils help us understand the history of the group.
The order was officially named in 1966. This was done by Greenwood, Rosen, Weitzman, and Myers. Different families within the order were named at different times. The family Gonorynchidae was named by Richardson in 1848. The family Chanidae was named by Günther in 1868. The family Kneriidae was also named by Günther. Finally, the family Phractolaemidae was named by Boulenger in 1901.
There are several distinct families to recognize. The Chanidae family contains the milkfishes. The Gonorynchidae family includes the beaked sandfishes. The Kneriidae family is made up of shellears. The Phractolaemidae family includes snake mudheads. These groups show the diversity of the order. Some are well-known, while others are lesser-known. Each family represents a different branch of this fish group.
Where will your curiosity go next?
More to explore
✨ What else?
Related topics you might enjoy
🔬 Go deeper
More advanced topics to explore
🪜 Step back
Simpler topics to build understanding
What is Nepedia?
A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.