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Anguilliformes

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Description

An eel is any ray-finned fish belonging to the order Anguilliformes, which consists of four suborders, 20 families, 111 genera, and about 800 species. Eels undergo considerable development from the early larval stage to the eventual adult stage, and most are predators.

From Wikipedia article at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anguilliformes, which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.

Source Data

Source	ID	Link
Global Biodiversity Information Facility ID (GBIF)	495	https://www.gbif.org/species/495
PaleoBioDB ID (PBDB)	35343	https://paleobiodb.org/classic/checkTaxonInfo?taxon_no=35343

Rank

order

Taxonomy (GBIF)

Life : Animalia : Chordata : Actinopterygii : Anguilliformes

Taxonomy (PBDB)

Life : Animalia : Chordata : Actinopteri : Anguilliformes

Taxonomic Status (GBIF)

accepted

Classification
(PBDB,GBIF)

Rank	Name	Author
-	Eukaryota
-	Opisthokonta	Cavalier-Smith 1987
kingdom	Animalia
-	Triploblastica	Lankester 1877
-	Nephrozoa	Jondelius et al. 2002
-	Deuterostomia	Grobben 1908
phylum	Chordata	Haeckel 1847
subphylum	Vertebrata	Lamarck 1801
superclass	Gnathostomata	Gegenbauer 1874
-	Osteichthyes
superclass	Actinopterygii
class	Actinopteri
subclass	Neopterygii
-	Teleosteomorpha	Arratia et al. 2004
-	Teleostei
-	Elopocephalai
-	Elopocephala
-	Elopomorpha
order	Anguilliformes	Greenwood et al. 1966

Common Name

eel

Scientific Name

Anguilliformes

Opinions (PBDB)

Name	Rank	Opinion	Evidence	Author
Anguilliformes	order	belongs to Teleostei	stated without evidence	Thurmond and Jones, 1981
Anguilliformes	order	belongs to Elopomorpha	stated without evidence	Nolf and Dockery, 1990
Anguilliformes	order	belongs to Actinopterygii	stated without evidence	Weems, 1999
Anguilliformes	order	belongs to Osteichthyes	stated without evidence	Purdy et al., 2001
Anguilliformes	order	belongs to Osteichthyes	second hand	Sepkoski, 2002
Anguilliformes	order	belongs to Elopomorpha	stated without evidence	Forey et al., 2003
Anguilliformes	order	belongs to Teleostei	stated without evidence	Fierstine et al., 2012
Anguilliformes	order	belongs to Elopomorpha	stated with evidence	Betancur-R et al., 2013
Anguilliformes	order	belongs to Actinopterygii	stated without evidence	Fourriére et al., 2014
Anguilliformes	order	belongs to Elopomorpha	stated without evidence	Bannikov, 2014

Status (PBDB)

extant

Taxon Size (PBDB)

213

Extant Size (PBDB)

93 (44%)

First Recorded Appearance

145 - 109 Ma
Early/Lower Cretaceous

Environment

marine (based on Vertebrata)

Motility

actively mobile

Diet

carnivore

Taphonomy

phosphatic (based on Vertebrata)

Primary Reference (PBDB)

J. J. Sepkoski, Jr. 2002. A compendium of fossil marine animal genera. Bulletins of American Paleontology 363:1-560

Common Name(s)

Eels, Anguilles, Eel, Aale, Palingen, ålartade Fiskar, Вугреподібні, ウナギ, Aalartige

Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anguilliformes

External Images

Fossil Distribution

Subtaxa

Name	Status	Common Name(s)	Fossil Occurrences	Oldest	Youngest
Anguilloidei suborder	listed (PBDB)		1	72.1 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous	0 Ma Extant
Archencheli suborder	listed (PBDB)				0 Ma Extant
Carencheli suborder	listed (PBDB)				0 Ma Extant
Colocephali suborder	listed (PBDB)				0 Ma Extant
Congroidei suborder	listed (PBDB)		1	33.9 Ma Oligocene	0 Ma Extant
Enchelycephali suborder	listed (PBDB)				0 Ma Extant
Lyomeri suborder	listed (PBDB)				0 Ma Extant
Muraenoidei ✝ suborder	listed (PBDB)		1	11.6 Ma Miocene	11.6 Ma Miocene
Anguillavidae family	accepted (GBIF)	No associated record in PBDB
Anguillidae family	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		1	56.0 Ma Paleocene	0 Ma Extant
Anguilloididae ✝ family	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		2	56.0 Ma Paleocene	56.0 Ma Paleocene
Chlopsidae ✝ family	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		1	56.0 Ma Paleocene	56.0 Ma Paleocene
Colocongridae family	accepted (GBIF)	No associated record in PBDB
Congridae family	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)	Conger Eel	135	66.0 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous	0 Ma Extant
Cyemidae family	accepted (GBIF)	No associated record in PBDB
Derichthyidae family	accepted (GBIF)	No associated record in PBDB
Echelidae ✝ family	listed (PBDB)
Encheliidae family	accepted (GBIF)	No associated record in PBDB
Eurypharyngidae family	listed (PBDB)				0 Ma Extant
Georgidentidae family	accepted (GBIF)	No associated record in PBDB
Heterenchelyidae family	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		3	38.0 Ma Eocene	0 Ma Extant
Heterocongridae family	accepted (GBIF)	No associated record in PBDB
Ilyophidae family	accepted (GBIF)	No associated record in PBDB
Libanechelyidae ✝ family	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		1	101 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous	101 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous
Milananguillidae ✝ family	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		1	56.0 Ma Paleocene	56.0 Ma Paleocene
Moringuidae family	accepted (GBIF)	No associated record in PBDB
Muraenesocidae family	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		2	47.8 Ma Eocene	0 Ma Extant
Muraenidae family	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		30	86.3 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous	0 Ma Extant
Myrocongridae family	accepted (GBIF)	No associated record in PBDB
Neenchelyidae family	accepted (GBIF)	No associated record in PBDB
Nemichthyidae family	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		1	33.9 Ma Oligocene	0 Ma Extant
Nettastomatidae family	accepted (GBIF)	No associated record in PBDB
Ophichthidae family	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		8	56.0 Ma Paleocene	0 Ma Extant
Paranguillidae ✝ family	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		2	56.0 Ma Paleocene	56.0 Ma Paleocene
Parechelidae family	accepted (GBIF)	No associated record in PBDB
Patavichthidae family	accepted (GBIF)	No associated record in PBDB
Patavichthyidae family	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		1	56.0 Ma Paleocene	0 Ma Extant
Protanguillidae family	accepted (GBIF)	No associated record in PBDB
Proteomyridae ✝ family	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		1	56.0 Ma Paleocene	56.0 Ma Paleocene
Saccopharyngidae family	listed (PBDB)				0 Ma Extant
Sauromuraenesocidae family	accepted (GBIF)	No associated record in PBDB
Serrivomeridae family	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		1	16.0 Ma Miocene	0 Ma Extant
Synaphobranchidae family	accepted (GBIF)	No associated record in PBDB
Urenchelyidae ✝ family	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)
Anguilla genus	listed (PBDB)		3	7.25 Ma Miocene	0 Ma Extant
Anguillavus ✝ genus	listed (PBDB)
Bolcanguilla genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		1	56.0 Ma Paleocene	0 Ma Extant
Brannerion ✝ genus	listed (PBDB)		4	145 Ma Late Jurassic	145 Ma Late Jurassic
Casierius ✝ genus	listed (PBDB)		2	113 Ma Early/Lower Cretaceous	112 Ma Early/Lower Cretaceous
Congermuraena genus	listed (PBDB)				0 Ma Extant
Dinelops ✝ genus	listed (PBDB)
Enchelion ✝ genus	listed (PBDB)
Eodiaphyodus ✝ genus	listed (PBDB)
Eomuraena ✝ genus	listed (PBDB)
Eomyrophis genus	listed (PBDB)				0 Ma Extant
Eomyrus ✝ genus	listed (PBDB)
Gazolapodus genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		1	56.0 Ma Paleocene	0 Ma Extant
Hajulia ✝ genus	listed (PBDB)
Hoplunnis genus	listed (PBDB)				0 Ma Extant
Japonoconger genus	listed (PBDB)				0 Ma Extant
Laytonia genus	accepted (GBIF)	No associated record in PBDB
Lemkea genus	listed (PBDB)				0 Ma Extant
Leptocephalus genus	listed (PBDB)				0 Ma Extant
Luenchelys ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		1	101 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous	101 Ma Late/Upper Cretaceous
Mastygocercus ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		1	23.0 Ma Miocene	23.0 Ma Miocene
Micromyrus ✝ genus	listed (PBDB)
Muraena genus	listed (PBDB)		2	7.25 Ma Miocene	0 Ma Extant
Mylomyrus ✝ genus	accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB)		1	48.6 Ma Eocene	48.6 Ma Eocene
Myroconger genus	listed (PBDB)				0 Ma Extant
Mystriophis genus	listed (PBDB)				0 Ma Extant
Nettastoma genus	listed (PBDB)				0 Ma Extant
Ophisurus genus	listed (PBDB)				0 Ma Extant
Palaeomyrus ✝ genus	listed (PBDB)
Panturichthys genus	listed (PBDB)				0 Ma Extant
Parechelus ✝ genus	listed (PBDB)		1	38.0 Ma Eocene	38.0 Ma Eocene
Pisodonophis genus	listed (PBDB)				0 Ma Extant
Proserrivomer ✝ genus	listed (PBDB)
Pseudoxenomystax genus	listed (PBDB)				0 Ma Extant
Raia genus	accepted (GBIF)	No associated record in PBDB
Rhynchocymba ✝ genus	listed (PBDB)
Scalanago genus	listed (PBDB)				0 Ma Extant
Taenioconger genus	listed (PBDB)				0 Ma Extant

Synonymy List

Year	Name and Author
1804	Apodes Latreille
1911	Apodes Jaekel p. 91
1963	Apodes Jordan p. 629
1966	Apodes Casier p. 168
1966	Anguilliformes Greenwood et al.
1981	Anguilliformes Thurmond and Jones p. 95
1990	Anguilliformes Nolf and Dockery III p. 3
1999	Anguilliformes Weems p. 59
2001	Anguilliformes Purdy et al. p. 162

Year	Name and Author
2002	Anguilliformes Sepkoski, Jr.
2003	Anguilliformes Forey et al. p. 228
2006	Anguilliformes Nelson
2007	Anguilliformes Carnevale p. 8
2011	Anguilliformes Long p. 242
2012	Anguilliformes Fierstine et al. p. 13
2013	Anguilliformes Betancur-R. et al.
2014	Anguilliformes Bannikov p. 25
2014	Anguilliformes Fourriére et al. p. 380

References

Sepkoski, Jr. J. J. (2002) A compendium of fossil marine animal genera, Bulletins of American Paleontology 363, 1-560

Jaekel O. (1911) , Die Wirbeltiere. Eine Übersicht über die Fossilen und Lebenden Formen [The Vertebrates. An Overview of the Fossil and Living Forms], viii-252

Jordan D. S. (1963) The Genera of Fishes and a Classification of Fishes, Stanford University Press, 1-816

Casier E. (1966) , Faune ichthyologique du London Clay, 1-510

Thurmond J. T., Jones D. E. (1981) , Fossil Vertebrates of Alabama, 1-244

Nolf D., Dockery III D. T. (1990) Fish Otoliths from the Coffee Sand (Campanian) of Northeastern Mississippi, Mississippi Geology 10 3, 1-14

Weems R. E. (1999) Part 4. Actinopterygian Fishes from the Fisher/Sullivan Site, Virginia Division of Mineral Resources Publication 152, 53-100

Purdy R. W., Schneider V. P., et al (2001) The Neogene sharks, rays, and bony fishes from Lee Creek Mine, Aurora, North Carolina, Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology 90, 71-202

Forey P. L., Yi L., et al (2003) Fossil fishes from the Cenomanian (Upper Cretaceous) of Namoura, Lebanon, Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 1 4, 227-330 doi:10.1017/S147720190300107X

Nelson J. S. (2006) , Fishes of the world, 4th edition, 1-601

Carnevale G. (2007) Fossil fishes from the Serravallian (Middle Miocene) of Torricella Peligna, Italy, Palaeontographia Italica 91, 1-67

Long J. A. (2011) , The Rise of Fishes: 500 Million Years of Evolution (Second Edition), 1-287

Fierstine H. L., Huddleston R. W., et al (2012) Catalog of the Neogene bony fishes of California: A ystematic inventory of all published accounts, Occasional Papers of the California Academy of Sciences 159, 1-206

Betancur-R. R., Broughton R. E., et al (2013) The tree of life and a new classification of bony fishes, PLOS Currents Tree of Life doi:10.1371/currents.tol.53ba26640df0ccaee75bb165c8c26288

Bannikov A. F. (2014) The systematic composition of the Eocene actinopterygian fish fauna from Monte Bolca, northern Italy, as known to date, Studi e ricerche sui giacimenti terziari di Bolca, XV - Miscellanea paleontologica 12, 23-34

Fourriére M., Reyes-Bonilla H., et al (2014) Fishes of Clipperton Atoll, Eastern Pacific: Checklist, Endemism, and Analysis of Completeness of the Inventory, Pacific Science 68 3, 375-395 doi:10.2984/68.3.7

Fricke, R., Eschmeyer, W. N. & Van der Laan, R. (eds). (2019). Catalog of Fishes: Genera, Species, References. Electronic version accessed dd mmm 2019. - via World Register of Introduced Marine Species (WRiMS)

Van Der Laan, R.; Eschmeyer, W. N.; Fricke, R. (2014). Family-group names of Recent fishes. Zootaxa. 3882(1): 1-230. - via World Register of Introduced Marine Species (WRiMS)

Fricke, R., Eschmeyer, W. N. & Van der Laan, R. (eds). (2019). Catalog of Fishes: Genera, Species, References. Electronic version accessed dd mmm 2019. - via World Register of Marine Species

Van Der Laan, R.; Eschmeyer, W. N.; Fricke, R. (2014). Family-group names of Recent fishes. Zootaxa. 3882(1): 1-230. - via World Register of Marine Species

Nelson, Joseph S., Edwin J. Crossman, H. Espinosa-Pérez, L. T. Findley, C. R. Gilbert, et al., eds., 2004: Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico, Sixth Edition. American Fisheries Society Special Publication, no. 29. ix + 386. - via Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS)

Nelson, Joseph S., 1994: null. Fishes of the World, Third Edition. xvii + 600. - via Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS)

Gärdenfors, Ulf, Hall, Ragnar, Hallingbäck, Tomas, Hansson, Hans G. & Hedström, Lars (2003) Djur, svampar och växter i Sverige 2003. Förteckning över antal arter per familj. ArtDatabanken Rapporterar 5, ArtDatabanken, Uppsala. (reviderad excelfil med svenska djurfamiljer). - via Dyntaxa. Svensk taxonomisk databas

Alroy, J. (2015) Fossilworks. Gateway to the Paleobiology Database. Online: http://fossilworks.org - via Dyntaxa. Svensk taxonomisk databas

Data courtesy of: PBDB: The Paleobiology Database, Creative Commons CC-BY licenced. , GBIF: the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, various licences, iDigBio, various licences, and EOL: The Encyclopedia of Life (Open Data Public Domain). Because fossils are made of minerals too!

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