Ophidiiformes
Fawn cusk-eel, Lepophidium profundorum
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia   Phylum: Chordata   Class: Actinopterygii   Order: Ophidiiformes
Families
Carapidae Ophidiidae Bythitidae Aphyonidae Parabrotulidae

Ophidiiformes is an order of ray-finned fish that includes the cusk eels (family Ophidiidae), pearlfishes (family Carapidae), brotulas (family Bythitidae), and others.

This order includes a variety of deep-sea species, including the deepest known, Abyssobrotula galatheae, found at 8,370 m in the Puerto Rico Trench.

The families Ranicipitidae (tadpole cods) and Euclichthyidae (eucla cods) were formerly classified in this order, but are now preferred in Gadiformes; Ranicipitidae has been absorbed within the family Gadidae.

References

• J.G. Nielsen, D.M. Cohen, D.M. Markle, C.R. Robins, Ophidiiform fishes of the world (Order Ophidiiformes): An annotated and illustrated catalogue of pearlfishes, cusk-eels, brotulas and other ophidiiform fishes known to date (FAO, 1999)
• "Ophidiiformes". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. February 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.
• Ophidiiformes (TSN 553139). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on June 23, 2005.