Biology:Pentacerotidae

Pentacerotidae or armourheads are a small family of ray-finned fishes in the order Acropomatiformes. They are native to the Indian Ocean, western and central Pacific, and southwestern Atlantic. They are generally found at rocky reefs below normal scuba diving depths, although several species occur in low densities at shallower depths.

Their name, from Greek pente meaning "five" and keras meaning "horn", refers to the prominent, sharp spines in their dorsal fins (though these do not number five in all species). The largest species in the family (Paristiopterus) may reach a length of 1 m (3.3 ft). Many species have distinct dark-and-light-striped bodies, while others are overall dusky-silvery.

Timeline

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bar:periodtop
from: -65.5   till:  -55.8    color:paleocene  text:Paleocene
from: -55.8   till:  -33.9    color:eocene  text:Eocene 
from: -33.9   till:  -23.03    color:oligocene  text:Oligocene            
from: -23.03    till: -5.332    color:miocene    text:Miocene
from: -5.332    till: -2.588    color:pliocene    text:Plio.
from: -2.588    till: -0.0117   color:pleistocene    text:Pleist.
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from: -65.5   till:  -23.03    color:paleogene  text:Paleogene         
from: -23.03    till: -2.588    color:neogene    text:Neogene
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from: -55.8   till:  -33.9    color:eocene  text:Eocene 
from: -33.9   till:  -23.03    color:oligocene  text:Oligocene            
from: -23.03    till: -5.332    color:miocene    text:Miocene
from: -5.332    till: -2.588    color:pliocene    text:Plio.
from: -2.588    till: -0.0117   color:pleistocene    text:Pleist.
from: -0.0117    till: 0    color:holocene    text:H.

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from: -65.5   till:  -23.03    color:paleogene  text:Paleogene         
from: -23.03    till: -2.588    color:neogene    text:Neogene
from: -2.588    till: 0   color:quaternary    text:Q.

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Genera

The following genera are classified within the family into two subfamilies:

• Subfamily Histiopterinae Bleeker, 1876
  • Evistias Jordan, 1907
  • Histiopterus Temminck & Schlegel, 1844
  • Parazanclistius Hardy, 1983
  • Paristiopterus Bleeker, 1876
  • Pentaceropsis Steindachner, 1883
  • Zanclistius Jordan, 1907
• Subfamily Pentacerotinae Bleeker, 1859
  • Pentaceros Cuvier, 1829

The fossil genus †Portentosoceros Nazarkin & Bannikov, 2021 from the Middle Miocene of Sakhalin, Russia, which closely resembles Pentaceros and was previously placed in it, lacks some of the characteristic features of this family and its taxonomic placement is uncertain outside of it belonging to the percomorphs. However, it is likely a close relative of the armorheads.

External links

• Smith, J.L.B. 1964. Fishes of the family Pentacerotidae. Ichthyological Bulletin; No. 29. Department of Ichthyology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa.

Wikidata ☰ Q1777353 entry