Myliobatiformes Explained

Myliobatiformes is one of the four orders of batoids, cartilaginous fishes related to sharks.^{[1] [2]} They were formerly included in the order Rajiformes, but more recent phylogenetic studies have shown the myliobatiforms to be a monophyletic group, and its more derived members evolved their highly flattened shapes independently of the skates.^{[3] [4]}

Classification

Myliobatiformes is classified as follows in Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes:^[5]

• Family Zanobatidae Fowler. 1934 (panrays)
• Family Hexatrygonidae Heemstra & M. M. Smith, 1980 (sixgill stingrays)
• Family Dasyatidae D. S. Jordan & Gilbert, 1879 (whiptail stingrays)
  • Subfamily Dasyatinae D. S. Jordan & Gilbert, 1879 (stingrays)
  • Subfamily Neotrygoninae Castelnau, 1873 (shortsnout stingrays)
  • Subfamily Urogymninae Gray, 1851 (whiprays)
  • Subfamily Hypolophinae Stromer, 1910 (cowtail stingrays)
• Family Potamotrygonidae Garman, 1877 (neotropical stingrays)
  • Subfamily Styracurinae Carvalho, Loboda & da Silva 2016 (whiptail stingrays)
  • Subfamily Potamotrygoninae Garman 1877 (river stingrays)
• Family Urotrygonidae McEachran, Dunn & Miyake, 1996 (American round stingrays)
• Family Gymnuridae Fowler, 1934 (butterfly rays)
• Family Plesiobatidae K. Nishida, 1990 (deepwater stingrays or giant stingarees)
• Family Urolophidae J. P. Müller & Henle 1841 (round stingrays or stingarees)
• Family Aetobatidae Agassiz, 1858 (pelagic eagle rays)
• Family Myliobatidae Bonaparte 1835 (eagle rays)
• Family Rhinopteridae D. S, Jordan & Evermann, 1896 (cownose rays)
• Family Mobulidae Gill, 1893 (mantas or devil rays)

The family Aetobatidae is recognised by some authorities. It contains the genus Aetobatus, which is otherwise part of Myliobatinae. ^[6]

The families Myliobatidae and Rhombodontidae are sometimes grouped in their own superfamily, Myliobatoidea.^[7]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Froese. R.. Pauly. D.. Myliobatiformes. WoRMS. 4 May 2018.
2. Web site: Order Summary for Myliobatiformes. FishBase. 4 May 2018.
3. Book: Fishes of the World . Nelson, J.S. . fourth . John Wiley . 2006 . 0-471-25031-7 . 69–82.
4. Web site: Martin. R. Aidan. Myliobatiformes: Stingrays. ReefQuest Centre for Shark Research. 4 May 2018.
5. Web site: Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes Classification . 28 October 2024 . Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences.
6. White. William T.. Naylor. Gavin J.P.. Resurrection of the family Aetobatidae (Myliobatiformes) for the pelagic eagle rays, genus Aetobatus. Zootaxa. 4139. 3. 2016. 435–438. 1175-5334. 10.11646/zootaxa.4139.3.10. 27470816.
7. Hoganson . John . Erickson . J. Mark . Holland . F. D. . Chondrichthyan and osteichthyan paleofaunas of the Cretaceous (late Maastrichtian) Fox Hills Formation of North Dakota, USA: paleoecology, paleogeography, and extinction. Bulletins of American Paleontology, No. 398: 1–94. . Bulletins of American Paleontology . 398 . 10.32857/bap.2019.398.