Main Page | See live article | Alphabetical index

Osteoglossiformes

Osteoglossiformes
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Actinopterygii
Order:Osteoglossiformes
Families
Heterotididae
Pantopontidae (butterflyfishes)
Singidididae (extinct)
Osteoglossidae (arowana)
Ostariostomidae (extinct)
Hiodontidae (mooneyes)
Notopteridae (featherfin knifes)
Gymnarchidae
Mormyridae (elephantfishes)

Osteoglossiformes (Lat. "bony tongues") is a relatively primitve order of ray-finned fish.

Members of the order are notable for having toothed or bony tongues, and for having the forward part of the gut pass to the left of the oesophagus and stomach (for all other fish it passes to the right).

One species, the arapaima (Arapaima gigas) is the largest freshwater fish known, with specimens reported up to 4.5 m in length.

External links