Lophotidae

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Lophotidae (crestfish; subclass Actinopterygii, order Lampridiformes) A small family of open-ocean fish that have an elongate, greatly compressed body, with the very long dorsal fin commencing above the upper jaw and extending all the way to the tail. The pelvic fins are minute. They have an ink sac containing a dark pigment which can be released through the cloaca when required. Lophotus capellei (crestfish) of the eastern Pacific may reach a length of 80 cm. There are probably two species, distributed worldwide.

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