Syngnathiformes

The name comes from Ancient Greek σύν (sún), meaning "together", γνάθος (gnáthos), meaning "jaw", and Latin formes, meaning "form". ==Fossil record==

'', an early fossil syngnathiform|left|218x218px The earliest known syngnathiform is Gasteroramphosus from the late Cretaceous (either Santonian or Campanian) of Italy, which is similar in form to Marcroramphosus, but which has some characters suggestive of a relationship to the Gasterosteoidei. However, most recent studies have reaffirmed it being a syngnathiform. The second oldest syngnathiform is the syngnathoid Eekaulostomus from the early Paleocene (Danian) of Mexico. == Systematics and taxonomy ==

are the most famous members of the Syngnathiformes appear dissimilar from other syngnathiforms, but phylogenetic studies support them belonging to this order. In the past, these fishes are placed as the suborder Syngnathoidei of the order Gasterosteiformes together with the sticklebacks and their relatives. Better supported by the evidence now available is the traditional belief that they are better considered separate orders, and indeed among the Acanthopterygii, they might not be particularly close relatives at all, with the gasterosteids belonging to the Perciformes. In addition, the Pegasidae (dragonfishes and sea moths) are variously placed with the pipefish or the stickleback lineage. While the placement in Syngnathiformes seems to be correct for the latter, the former is possibly an actinopterygian order of its own. Most authors, however, placed them with the Scorpaeniformes. However, DNA sequence data quite consistently support the belief that the latter are paraphyletic with the Gasterosteiformes sensu lato. As it seems, flying gurnards are particularly close to Aulostomidae and Fistulariidae and probably should be included with these. • Order Syngnathiformes • "Benthic clade" • Suborder Dactylopteroidei • Family Dactylopteridae Gill, 1861 (flying gurnards) • Family Pegasidae Bonaparte, 1831 (seamoths) • Suborder Callionymoidei • Family Callionymidae Bonaparte, 1831 (dragonets) • Family Draconettidae Jordan & Fowler, 1903 (slope dragonets) • Suborder Mulloidei • Family Mullidae Rafinesque, 1815 (goatfishes) • "long snouted clade" • Suborder Syngnathoidei • Family Aulostomidae Rafinesque, 1815 (trumpetfishes) • Family Fistulariidae Stark, 1828 (cornetfishes) • Family Centriscidae Bonaparte, 1831 (shrimpfishes and snipefishes) • Family Solenostomidae Nardo, 1843 (ghost pipefishes) • Family Syngnathidae Bonaparte, 1831 (pipefishes and seahorses) In their study, Longo et al (2017) found short distances between the groupings on the Syngnathiform phylogenetic tree and this supported a hypothesis that a rapid but ancient radiation had occurred in the basal Syngnathiformes. • Family †Aulorhamphidae Tyler, 2004 • Family †Paraeoliscidae Blot, 1981 • Suborder Syngnathoidei • Family †Eekaulostomidae Cantalice & Alvarado-Ortega, 2016 • Family †Fistularioididae Blot, 1981 (likely synonymous with Fistulariidae) • Family †Gerpegezhidae Bannikov & Carnevale, 2012 • Family †Parasynarcualidae Blot, 1981 (likely synonymous with Fistulariidae) • Family †Protosyngnathidae Boulenger, 1902 • Family †Urosphenidae Gill, 1884 • Suborder Dactylopteroidei • Family †Pterygocephalidae Hubbs, 1952 • Family †Rhamphosidae Gill, 1884 ==References==