ABSTRACT
The family Melamphaidae consists of about 33 species worldwide (absent from the Arctic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea), 18 species in the western central North Atlantic (WCNA), in five genera: Scopelogadus (2), Poromitra (3), Scopeloberyx (4), Melamphaes (9) and Sio (excluded from the region) following Moore (2003b). Moore (2003b) lists 2 undescribed species that were noted by Keene et al. (1987). Ebeling & Weed (1973) include Melamphaidae in the order Xenoberyces (Stephanoberyciformes), but Nelson (1994) includes Melamphaidae in the order Stephanoberyciformes. Members of the order Stephanoberyciformes are defined on the basis of several primitive characters such as a high number of pelvic and caudal rays as well as several derived characters such as the presence of dorsal, anal and pelvic spines, and the presence of spinous procurrent caudal fin rays.
