Leptochilichthyidae

noun

Distribution: Deep-sea; eastern Atlantic, western Indian, and eastern and western Pacific Oceans. Expanded and toothless maxilla; teeth present on palate and dentary. Long and numerous gill rakers. No shoulder sac apparatus. Branchiostegal rays 13; dorsal fin rays 11-21; anal fin rays 11-18; lateral line scales 47-64; vertebrae 47-58. Maximum length 31 cm. Most common in depths below 1,000 m, but rare and poorly known.

The family Leptochilichthyidae belongs to the Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) and the Order Osmeriformes. It contains 1 genus and 3 species. It may be found in Marine environments and is primarily Marine. Members of this family are not used in the aquarium trade. Reproductively, most members of this family are nonguarders. The main mode of swimming of adult fish in this family is subcarangiform. Etymology of this family name: Greek, leptos = thin + Greek, cheilos = lip + Greek, ichthys = fish