Dercetidae

The Dercetidae are an extinct family of aulopiform fish that are known from the Late Cretaceous to the Paleocene (and possibly to the Eocene if Stratodus is a member). They are among the many members of the diverse, extinct suborder Enchodontoidei, which were dominant during the Cretaceous. Many genera evolved a very slender body plan with elongated jaws, closely converging on modern needlefish.

Taxonomy
Initially, due to their slender appearance, dercetids were classified with the spiny eels in the order Notacanthiformes, but this was only based on their superficially similar body plans. More recent research indicates that the dercetids were related to modern lizardfish and grinners. The following genera are known:


 * Family †Dercetidae
 * Genus †Apuliadercetis
 * Genus †Benthesikyme
 * Genus †Brazilodercetis
 * Genus †Candelarhynchus
 * Genus †Caudadercetis
 * Genus †Cyranichthys
 * Genus †Dercetis
 * Genus †Dercetoides
 * Genus †Hastichthys
 * ?Genus †Kwangodercetis
 * ?Genus †Leccedercetis
 * ?Genus †Paradercetis
 * Genus †Nardodercetis
 * Genus †Ophidercetis
 * Genus †Pelargorhynchus
 * Genus †Rhynchodercetis
 * ?Genus †Scandiadercetis
 * ?Genus †Stratodus

The genus Robertichthys was previously considered a dercetid, but more recent studies suggest that it was an aspidorhynchid, a member of an entirely different group of fish.

Some studies suggest that this family is paraphyletic. However, others have found it to be monophyletic.