The old wife was originally classified in the genus
Chaetodon (with the typical butterflyfishes), but it is now classified as the sole modern species of its own family Enoplosidae and genus
Enoplosus. Some fossils have also been added to the genus.
illustration accompanying the original 1790 description of Chaetodon
(now Enoplosus
) armatus'' in
John White's voyage journal. Attributed to convict artist
Thomas Watling. The first description of the species, one of the earliest for any Australian fish, was in 1790 by
John White in his
Journal of a Voyage to New South Wales though some sources give
George Shaw (who assisted White in the preparation of his manuscript) as the species authority. White originally named it the long-spined chaetodon (
Chætodon armatus) and described it as follows: In 1836,
Agassiz identified closely related fossils at
Monte Bolca (an important fossil site in Europe) as
Enoplosus pygopterus (named for its smaller fins). These exceptionally well-preserved fossils had a very similar body plan, and even a similar zebra pattern of colouring. However, more recent studies have recovered this species as actually being an early
cardinalfish, moved to its own genus,
Eosphaeramia. ==References==