Gempylidae


The Gempylidae are a family of scombriform ray-finned fishes commonly known as snake mackerels or escolars. The family includes about 25 species.
They are elongated fishes with a similar appearance to barracudas, having a long dorsal fin, usually with one or finlets trailing it. The largest species, including the snoek, grow up to long, and the oilfish can reach, though they rarely surpass. Like the barracudas, they are predators, with fang-like teeth.

Taxonomy

  • Subfamily Clade 1 Mthethwa, 2023
  • * Genus Diplospinus
  • ** Diplospinus multistriatus Maul, 1948
  • * Genus Gempylus
  • ** Gempylus serpens G. Cuvier, 1829
  • * Genus Nealotus
  • ** Nealotus tripes J. Y. Johnson, 1865
  • * Genus Nesiarchus
  • ** Nesiarchus nasutus J. Y. Johnson, 1862
  • * Genus Paradiplospinus
  • ** Paradiplospinus antarcticus Andriashev, 1960
  • ** Paradiplospinus gracilis
  • * Genus Promethichthys
  • ** Promethichthys prometheus
  • * Genus Rexea
  • ** Rexea alisae C. D. Roberts & A. L. Stewart, 1997
  • ** Rexea antefurcata Parin, 1989
  • ** Rexea bengalensis
  • ** Rexea brevilineata Parin, 1989
  • ** Rexea nakamurai Parin, 1989
  • ** Rexea prometheoides
  • ** Rexea solandri
  • * Genus Rexichthys
  • ** Rexichthys johnpaxtoni Parin & Astakhov, 1987
  • * Genus Leionura
  • ** Leionura atun
  • * Genus Thyrsites
  • ** Thyrsites lepidopodea )
  • * Genus Thyrsitoides
  • ** Thyrsitoides marleyi Fowler, 1929
  • ** Thyrsitoides zarahoustrae Arambourg, 1967
  • * Genus Tongaichthys
  • ** Tongaichthys robustus I. Nakamura & E. Fujii, 1983
  • Subfamily Clade 2 Mthethwa, 2023
  • * Genus Epinnula
  • ** Epinnula magistralis Poey, 1854
  • ** Epinnula pacifica Ho, Motomura, Hata & Jiang, 2017
  • * Genus Lepidocybium
  • ** Lepidocybium flavobrunneum
  • * Genus Neoepinnula
  • ** Neoepinnula americana
  • ** Neoepinnula minetomai Nakayama, Y. Kimura & Endo, 2014
  • ** Neoepinnula orientalis
  • * Genus Ruvettus
  • ** Ruvettus pretiosus Cocco, 1833
The Gempylidae are broadly categorized into two clades; Clade 1, which includes more derived & elongate genera, and Clade 2, which includes more basal & fusiform genera. The Trichiuridae are an outgroup.
Gempylidae are believed to have first evolved at least 20 million years after the Late Cretaceus Extinction event, potentially due to tectonic plate movements.

Fossil genera

The following fossil genera are known:
  • †Abadzekhia Bannikov, 1985
  • †Chelifichthys Carnevale, 2006
  • †Eothyrsites Chapman, 1934
  • †Hemithyrsites Daniltshenko, 1960
  • †Krampusichthys Calzoni, Giusberti & Carnevale, 2025
  • †Laurinichthys Calzoni, Giusberti & Carnevale, 2025
  • †Progempylus Casier, 1966
  • †Thyrsitocephalus vom Rath, 1859
  • †Wudelenia Calzoni, Giusberti & Carnevale, 2025

    Timeline


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