Alepocephaliformes

Alepocephaliformes is an order of marine deep-sea teleost fishes.^[2] It was previously classified as the suborder Alepocephaloidei of the order Argentiniformes.^[3][4][5]

Alepocephaliformes
California slickhead, Alepocephalus tenebrosus
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Cohort:	Otocephala
Superorder:	Alepocephali
Order:	Alepocephaliformes Marshall, 1962[1]
Type species
Alepocephalus rostratus
Families
See text

As an adaptation to a life in the deep-sea, there is no swim bladder, and the ossification of the skeleton is reduced.^[2] The largest known member is Narcetes shonanmaruae, the largest deep-sea-endemic bony fish.^[6][7]

Subdivisions

• Family Alepocephalidae (typical slickheads) (includes former families Bathylaconidae; Leptochilichthyidae)^[4]
• Family Platytroctidae (including Searsiidae)