Family AMIIDAE Bonaparte 1831 (Bowfins)

Updated 14 Dec. 2022
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Amia Linnaeus 1766 meaning unknown, presumably derived from amia, an ancient name for an unknown fish, thought to be a bonito or a kind of “tunny” (e.g., Atlantic Bonito Sarda sarda) since the Renaissance but now identified as the Bluefish Pomatomus saltatrix

Amia calva Linnaeus 1766 Latin for bald, probably referring to its scaleless head

Amia ocellicauda Richardson 18362 ocellus, diminutive of oculus (L.), eye (but here meaning eyespot); cauda (L.), tail, referring to “irregular round spot of the size of a shilling, bordered with scarlet at the base of the seven upper caudal rays” [authorship sometimes incorrectly given as Todd (in Richardson) 1836; while Todd’s description is quoted, Richardson supplied the name and made it available]OW