Maurolicus is an oceanic ray-finned fish genus which belongs in the marine hatchetfish family Sternoptychidae. They are commonly known as pearlsides, but the brilliant pearlside is the related Argyripnus iridescens. Occasionally, "bristle-mouth fishes" is used as a common name, but that usually refers to the genus Argyripnus or the family Gonostomatidae.

Pearlsides
Temporal range: Miocene to Present
Mueller's pearlside, Maurolicus muelleri
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Stomiiformes
Family: Sternoptychidae
Subfamily: Maurolicinae
Genus: Maurolicus
Cocco, 1838
Diversity
15 species

Fossils of pearlsides are known from the Miocene.[1]

Species

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There are currently 15 recognized species in this genus:[2]

References

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  1. ^ Sepkoski, Jack (2002): [Maurolicus]. In: A compendium of fossil marine animal genera. Bulletins of American Paleontology 364: 560. HTML database excerpt
  2. ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Species in genus Maurolicus". FishBase. February 2012 version.