Ophidioidei

Ophidioidei is one of two suborders in the order Ophidiiformes, the cusk eels, viviparous brotulas and pearlfishes. The main distinction from the suborder Bythitoidei is that the Ophidioidei are oviparous, other features include having a caudal fin which is joined to both the anal fin and the dorsal fin forming an even combined fin which tapers to a point, a lack of an external intromittent organ in males and the anterior nostril is placed high above the mouth.^[2]

Ophidioidei Temporal range: Maastrichtian to present PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Ophidion barbatum
Encheliophis boraborensis inside of a sea cucumber
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Ophidiiformes
Suborder:	Ophidioidei Garman, 1899[1]

Families

The following families are classified in the suborder Ophidioidei:^[2][3][4]

• Family Acanthonidae Wong & Chen, 2024 (deepsea cusk-eels)
• Family Brotulidae Swainson, 1838 (bearded cusk-eels)
• Family Ophidiidae Rafinesque, 1810 (cusk-eels)
• Family Carapidae Poey, 1867 (pearlfishes)