Gonorynchus
| Beaked salmon Temporal range: Late Cretaceous – Recent[1]
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|---|---|
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| Gonorynchus greyi | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Gonorynchiformes |
| Family: | Gonorynchidae |
| Genus: | Gonorynchus Scopoli ex Gronow, 1777 |
| Type species | |
| Cyprinus gonorynchus Linnaeus, 1766
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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[edit]
Source:[5]
- Gonorynchus abbreviatus Temminck & Schlegel, 1846
- Gonorynchus forsteri J. D. Ogilby, 1911
- Gonorynchus gonorynchus (Linnaeus, 1766)
- Gonorynchus greyi (J. Richardson, 1845)
- Gonorynchus moseleyi D. S. Jordan & Snyder, 1923
References[edit]
- ^ a b 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.
- ^ Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2011). Species of Gonorynchus in FishBase. June 2011 version.
- ^ Fishes of the World
- ^ Fishbase
- ^ Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2011). "Gonorynchidae" in FishBase. June 2011 version.