Ephippidae
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[Photo] Teira Batfish, Platax teira. A pair of Teira Batfish (Platax teira) in blue water. Fish Rock Cave, South West Rocks, NSW. Date April 23, 2005. Author Richard Ling http://www.flickr.com/people/rling/

Ephippidae is the fish family containing the spadefishes. There are about eight genera with a total of 20 species, mostly marine. The most well-known species are probably those in the reef-dwelling genus Platax, the batfishes, which are kept as aquarium fish. They are spade-shaped, laterally compressed, and very symmetrical triangular dorsal and anal fins. They are shiny silver with areas of yellow and vertical brown or black banding. The eyes are often located in one of the vertical bands as a method of camouflage. Scuba divers sometimes mistake them for angelfish, which are similar in shape but not closely related. Other genera in the family are characterized by long, trailing, pointed dorsal and anal fins.

Some spadefishes are popular sport fishing catches. The Atlantic spadefish (Chaetodipterus faber), for example, is an attractive black and white zebra-striped fish common just offshore in the southeastern United States and Caribbean. They are favorites because they put up a fight as they are reeled in. Spadefish are generally considered to be an overfished group. Most of the individuals caught are small and young and are nowhere near the maximum size recorded for their species.

Species

Genus Chaetodipterus
Atlantic spadefish, Chaetodipterus faber (Broussonet, 1782).
West African spadefish, Chaetodipterus lippei Steindachner, 1895.
Pacific spadefish, Chaetodipterus zonatus (Girard, 1858).
Genus Ephippus
East Atlantic African spadefish, Ephippus goreensis Cuvier, 1831.
Orbfish, Ephippus orbis (Bloch, 1787).
Genus Parapsettus
Panama spadefish, Parapsettus panamensis (Steindachner, 1875).
Genus Platax
Humpback batfish, Platax batavianus Cuvier, 1831.
Golden spadefish, Platax boersii Bleeker, 1852.
Orbicular batfish, Platax orbicularis (Forssk??l, 1775).
Dusky batfish, Platax pinnatus (Linnaeus, 1758).
Tiera batfish, Platax teira (Forssk??l, 1775).
Genus Proteracanthus
Proteracanthus sarissophorus (Cantor, 1849).
Genus Rhinoprenes
Threadfin scat, Rhinoprenes pentanemus Munro, 1964.
Genus Tripterodon
African spadefish, Tripterodon orbis (Bloch, 1787).
Genus Zabidius
Ninespine batfish, Zabidius novemaculeatus (McCulloch, 1916).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephippidae

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