Updated 22 Oct. 2026
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Capromimus Gill 1893 mimus (L.), actor or mime, having the “aspect” of Capros (Acanthuriformes: Caproidae, its family at time of description); Gill correctly anticipated that it “may prove not to be a caproid when anatomically examined”

Capromimus abbreviatus (Hector 1875) Latin for shortened, presumably referring to its “shorter form” compared with Bathystethus cultratus (Centrarchiformes: Kyphosidae), its presumed congener at the time

Cyttomimus Gilbert 1905 mimus (L.), actor or mime allusion not explained, perhaps referring to its similarity to Cyttus (Cyttidae)

Cyttomimus affinis Weber 1913 Latin for related, referring to similarity to C. stelgis

Cyttomimus stelgis Gilbert 1905 from stlengís (στλεγγίς), scraper, presumably referring to exposed surface of scales “rendered very rough by numberless minute prickles”

Cyttula Weber 1913 diminutive of Cyttus (Cyttidae), presumed to be closely related to that genus

Cyttula boops (Lin, Chang, Han & Lin 2025) bo, from boū́s (βοῦς), bull, metaphorically used to mean big; ṓps (ὦψ), eye, referring to its large eyes, greater than half the head length

Cyttula macropus Weber 1913 macro-, from makrós (μακρός), long or large; pus, from poús (πούς), foot (homologous to the ventral fins), referring to its elongate ventral fins, the last ray reaching as far as the caudal fin

Zenion Jordan & Evermann 1896 diminutive of Zeus (Zeidae), referring to its similarity to that genus

Zenion hololepis (Goode & Bean 1896) hólos (ὅλος), whole or entire; lepís (λεπίς), scale, referring to scales covering entire body compared with presumed congeners in Cyttus (Cyttidae)

Zenion leptolepis (Gilchrist & von Bonde 1924) leptós (λεπτός), thin or slender; lepís (λεπίς), scale, allusion not explained, perhaps referring to smaller scales (90 along lateral line) compared with Z. hololepis (~67 along lateral line)

Zenion longipinnis Kotthaus 1970 longus (L.), long; pinnis, Neo-Latin adjective of pinna (L.), fin, i.e., finned, referring to the “unusual length” (translation) of the ventral fin (spine is >¼ SL)