Gonorynchus

Beaked salmon
Temporal range: 70–0 Ma
Late Cretaceous – Recent[1]
Gonorynchus greyi
Scientific classification
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.

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".[3]

Species[4]

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 Daniel Pauly, eds. (2011). Species of Gonorynchus in FishBase. June 2011 version.
  3. ↑ Fishbase
  4. ↑ Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2011). "Gonorynchidae" in FishBase. June 2011 version.
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