Retropinnidae

views updated

Retropinnidae (southern smelt; superorder Protacanthopterygii, order Salmoniformes) A small family of fresh-and brackish-water fish, closely related to the smelts of the northern hemisphere (Osmeridae), that are slender, silverly, and have a single soft-rayed dorsal fin located well back above the anal fin, and a small adipose fin. The eyes are rather large. The family comprises two Australian species and two New Zealand species.