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Family Microdesmidae - Wormfishes
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Order |
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Class |
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Actinopteri |
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No. in FishBase |
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Genera : 0 | Species : 0 Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes |
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Environment |
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Fresh : Yes |
Brackish : Yes |
Marine : Yes |
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Division |
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Marine |
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Aquarium |
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none |
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First Fossil Record |
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Remark |
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Distribution: tropical seas, rarely in brackish and freshwater. Body elongated to anguilliform, strongly compressed. Tip of tongue not lobed. Scales cycloid, small, and embedded in body. Eyes lateral. Caudal fin separate or confluent with dorsal and anal fins. To 30 cm maximum length. Inhabits shallow waters: coral reefs to muddy estuaries and tidepools; often burrowing in sand and mud; hover above the substrate to feed on zooplankton. Eggs are deposited in the burrows and presumably guarded by the parents; larvae are pelagic. Dartfishes are hardy in the aquarium, unless caught with poison. |
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Etymology |
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Greek, mikros = small + Greek, desmos = bond ( Ref. 45335). |
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Reproductive guild |
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guarders |
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Typical activity level |
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Main Ref.  |
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Coordinator |
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Deep Fin Classification  |
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Important recommendation:
The list below must not be used as an authority reference synonymy list like those found in scientific published revisions, which must be the source to be used and cited eventually when they exist.
Rather, it reflects the current content of FishBase, and the progress with respect to synchronization with the Catalog of Fishes. However, we think it can be useful for users to assess the quality of information in FishBase, to start new work on the family, or to cross-check with other lists.
But we appreciate to be cited in publications when this list has been of any working value. In particular, for published scientific, we suggest then to cite it in the Material and Method section as a useful tool to conduct the research, but again, not as a taxonomic or nomenclatural authority reference.
Unless it is explicitly precised, the list is not complete, please search all original names published for the family in the Catalog of Fishes (genera, species), including those with uncertain or unknown status, that are not included in FishBase when they are not attached to a valid species.
This list uses some data from Catalog of Fishes (not shown but used to sort names).
The list ordered as follows:
- When subfamilies are recognized, nominotypical subfamily first then other subfamilies by alphabetical order.
- Type genus of the family first (or of subfamily when subfamilies are recognized) then other genera by chronological order of description (and alphabetical order).
- Type species of the genus first by chronological order (and alphabetical order), with last listed misapplied names in a light gray font.
- ! Marks misspellings of the species names that must not be used.
Please send comments and corrections if you detect errors or missing names.
| Scientifc name | Status | Senior/Junior synonym | Combination |
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