''Sternoptyx'' is an
oceanic
ray-finned fish genus which belongs in the
family Sternoptychidae. This is the
type genus of the Sternoptychidae, as well as the
marine hatchetfish subfamily
In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ...
Sternoptychinae.
''Sternoptyx'' have silvery, high, and laterally compressed bodies and large, non-telescopic eyes.
They are all relatively small, with even the largest species (''S. pseudobscura'' and ''S. pseudodiaphana'') not exceeding
standard length
Fish measurement is the measuring of individual fish and various parts of their anatomies. These data are used in many areas of ichthyology, including taxonomy and fisheries biology.
Overall length
* Standard length (SL) is the length of a fish m ...
.
[
]
Species
There are currently four recognized species in this genus:Sternoptyx diaphana
''Sternoptyx diaphana'', the diaphanous hatchetfish, is a species of deep sea ray-finned fish in the family Sternoptychidae. It is the type species of the genus ''Sternoptyx'', and was first described by the French naturalist Johann Hermann in ...
'' Hermann, 1781 (Diaphanous hatchetfish)
* ''Sternoptyx obscura
''Sternoptyx'' is an oceanic ray-finned fish genus which belongs in the family Sternoptychidae. This is the type genus of the Sternoptychidae, as well as the marine hatchetfish subfamily Sternoptychinae.
''Sternoptyx'' have silvery, high, and ...
'' Garman, 1899
* ''Sternoptyx pseudobscura
''Sternoptyx'' is an oceanic ray-finned fish genus which belongs in the family Sternoptychidae. This is the type genus of the Sternoptychidae, as well as the marine hatchetfish subfamily Sternoptychinae.
''Sternoptyx'' have silvery, high, and ...
'' R. C. Baird, 1971 (Highlight hatchetfish)
* ''Sternoptyx pseudodiaphana
''Sternoptyx'' is an oceanic ray-finned fish genus which belongs in the family Sternoptychidae. This is the type genus of the Sternoptychidae, as well as the marine hatchetfish subfamily Sternoptychinae.
''Sternoptyx'' have silvery, high, and ...
'' Borodulina, 1977 (False oblique hatchetfish)
Fossils of this genus show that they have existed at least since the Early Oligocene, about 30 million years ago.[ (2002): 'Sternoptyx'' ''In:'' A compendium of fossil marine animal genera. ''Bulletins of American Paleontology'' 364: 560]
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References
Sternoptychidae
Extant Rupelian first appearances
Ray-finned fish genera
Taxa named by Johann Hermann
Rupelian genus first appearances
{{Stomiiformes-stub