Polymixia
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| Polymixia Temporal range: Possible Late Cretaceous occurrence | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Stout beardfish (P. nobilis) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Polymixiiformes |
| Family: | Polymixiidae |
| Genus: | Polymixia R. T. Lowe, 1838 |
| Type species | |
| Polymixia nobilis R. T. Lowe, 1838 | |
Polymixia is the only extant genus of the order Polymixiiformes and family Polymixiidae. It contains 12 species, all of which live in deepwater marine environments.[1] They are found in tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic, Indian and western Pacific Oceans. They are bottom-dwelling fish, found down to about 800 m (2,600 ft). Most are relatively small fish, although one species is over 40 cm (16 in) in length.[2] They can be considered "living fossils" due to being the only surviving members of the once-diverse order Polymixiiformes.[3]