Zeiformes
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| Zeiformes | ||||||||
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| Missing image Mirror_dory.png Zenopsis nebulosa Mirror dory, family Zeidae | ||||||||
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Suborder Zeioidei |
The Zeiformes are a small order of marine ray-finned fishes most notable for the dories, a group of common food fish. The order consists of about 40 species in seven families, mostly deep-sea types.
Zeiform bodies are usually thin and deep. Mouths are large, with distensible jaws, and there is no orbitosphenoid. Pelvic fins have 5-10 soft rays and possibly a spine, 5-10 dorsal fin spines and up to 4 anal fin spines.
The classification of the boarfishes (Caproidae) in this order is uncertain, since they have many perciform characters, for instance in the caudal skeleton.