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Family
Dinolestidae (Long-Finned Pikes)
Species Currently in the DFL
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About This Family
Distribution:
Eastern Indian Ocean, found only in southern Australia and New South Wales.
Habitat:
Pelagic, often in bays over rocky reefs in 5 - 65 m depth.
Remarks:
Dinolestid pikes have a body shape very similar to that of the sphyraenid barracudas. The body is long, with 27 vertebrae, fairly compressed and the lower jaw extends far beyond the upper jaw. Teeth exist on both the vomer and palatine, and some teeth in the mouth are caninelike.
The head, including the maxilla, snout and hindhead are covered with scales, and there is an axillary scale at the base of the pelvic fin. The dorsal fins are widely separated and the lateral line continues onto the caudal fin.
This family comprises just one species, Dinolestes lewini. For further information, see the species summary.
References:
Nelson 2006