Salangidae

Icefishes or noodlefishes are a family, the Salangidae, of osmeriform fish, related to the smelts. They are found in freshwater environments in Southeast Asia, although a few species are anadromous, spending most of their life in coastal waters, and only visiting fresh water to spawn.

They have translucent or transparent bodies, and lack any scales. The head is strongly depressed and has numerous teeth. The adults are believed to be neotenic, retaining some larval features. For example, the skeleton is not fully ossified, consisting largely of cartilage.^[1] They are small fish, typically around 8 centimetres (3.1 in), with the largest species reaching only 16 centimetres (6.3 in).^[2]

Genera and species

The family consists of some 20 species in five genera:^[1]

Family Salangidae

• Genus Hemisalanx
  • Hemisalanx brachyrostralis
• Genus Neosalanx
  • Neosalanx anderssoni
  • Neosalanx argentea
  • Neosalanx brevirostris
  • Neosalanx hubbsi
  • Neosalanx jordani
  • Neosalanx oligodontis
  • Neosalanx pseudotaihuensis
  • Neosalanx reganius
  • Neosalanx taihuensis
  • Neosalanx tangkahkeii
• Genus Protosalanx
  • Protosalanx chinensis
  • Protosalanx hyalocranius - Clearhead icefish
• Genus Salangichthys
  • Salangichthys ishikawae
  • Salangichthys microdon - Japanese icefish
• Genus Salanx
  • Salanx ariakensis
  • Salanx chinensis - Chinese noodlefish
  • Salanx cuvieri
  • Salanx prognathus
  • Salanx reevesii

References

• "Salangidae". FishBase. Ed. Rainer Froese and Daniel Pauly. January 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.