Superorder Osteoglossomorpha

1. SuperorderOsteoglossomorpha IB 463 - Ichthyology Blake Bushman Blake Ruebush

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

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

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

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

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

9. 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 Osteoglossidae – arapaima, Arapaima gigas

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

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

12. 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 Mormyridae – elephant fishes

13. 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

14. 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

15. Anatomy / Sensory Systems • Osteoglossidae - Arapaima • Emit pheremones from head to signal danger to larvae • Surface every 10-20 minutes for respiration

16. 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

17. Reproduction • Pantodontidae – non-guarding, open water sub-stratum egg scatterers; 80-220 eggs • Notopteridae – eggs laid in small clumps of vegetatin, 1,200-3,000 eggs • Mormyridae – male protects eggs and larvae, 30-200 eggs in a nest • Gymnarchidae – guard eggs

18. 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

19. Predator – Prey Interactions • Osteoglossidae – arapaima – fish, birds, small mammals (very opportunistic) • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A82Pa4AeSPQ

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

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

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

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

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

25. References • "Featherfin Knifefish." Animal-World. 3 Sept. 2007. 18 Sept. 2008 <http://animal- world.com/encyclo/fresh/knifefish/featherfinknifefish.php>. • Fenner, Bob. "The Elephantfishes, family Mormyridae, In Aquariums." Wet Web Media. 15 Sept. 2008 <http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebindex/mormyrids.htm>. • "Freshwater butterflyfish." Wikipedia. 8 July 2008. 16 Sept. 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/freshwater_butterflyfish>. • Froese, Rainer. "Gymnarchus niloticus." Discover Life. 24 July 2008. 18 Sept. 2008. • Kirschbaum, Frank. "Osteoglossiformes." Answers.com. 15 Sept. 2008 <http://www.answers.com/topic/osteoglossiformes>. • Li, Guo-Qing and Wilson, Mark V. H. 1999. 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.): 369-384. • Helfman, Gene S., Collette, B.B., and Facey, DE. 1997. The Diversity of Fishes. Blackwell Science, Inc. • "Mormyridae." Discover Life. 4 Oct. 2004. The Polistes Corporation. 15 Sept. 2008 <http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20o?search=mormyridae>. • Ortañez, Kareen A., ed. "Notopterus notopterus." Discover Life. 24 July 2008. 18 Sept. 2008 <http://www.discoverlife.org/20/q?search=notopterus+notopterus&b=fb799 0>. • Page, Lawrence M. and Brooks M. Burr. 1991. Freshwater Fishes. Peterson Field Guides, Houghton Mifflin Company. p. 36. • "Pantodontidae." High Beam Encyclopedia. 16 Sept. 2008 <http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1o8- pantodontidae.html>. • Peters. "Pantodon buchholzi." Fishbase.net. 24 July 2008. 18 Sept. 2008 <http://www.fishbase.org/summary/speciessummary.php?id=2075>. • Pictures • http://www.funebooks.com.sg/images/arowanas/arowana_001.jpg • http://www.lanzarote.fr/imagenes/flyingfish.jpg • http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?go=http://www.fishbase.org/Photos/ThumbnailsSummary.php%3FID%3D4519 • http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/Gymnarchus_niloticus005.JPG