Beaked salmon
Temporal range: Late Cretaceous – Recent[1]
Gonorynchus greyi
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Gonorynchiformes
Family: Gonorynchidae
Genus: Gonorynchus
Scopoli ex Gronow, 1777
Type species
Cyprinus gonorynchus
Linnaeus, 1766

Gonorynchus is a genus of long thin gonorynchiform ray-finned fish, commonly called beaked salmon or beaked sandfish that live on sandy bottoms near shorelines. There are five known extant species which are placed in this genus.[2] All have a distinctive angular snout (hence the name) that the fish use to dig themselves into the sand. A swim bladder is absent.[3]

The most widespread species is Gonorynchus gonorynchus, found in scattered locations worldwide. It can reach up to 60 cm (24 in) in length. It is a nocturnal fish, feeding on invertebrates at night and burrowing into sand or mud during the day.[1]

Beaked salmon are fished commercially in some areas. The flesh of Gonorynchus greyi, found around Australia and New Zealand, is reported to be "firm and of good flavour".[4]

Species

Source:[5]

References

  1. 1 2 Banister, Keith F. (1998). Paxton, J.R.; Eschmeyer, W.N. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Fishes. San Diego: Academic Press. p. 97. ISBN 0-12-547665-5.
  2. ↑ Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2011). Species of Gonorynchus in FishBase. June 2011 version.
  3. ↑ Fishes of the World
  4. ↑ Fishbase
  5. ↑ Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2011). "Gonorynchidae" in FishBase. June 2011 version.
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