Lepidogalaxias salamandroides (Mees 1961; McDowall RM and Pusey BJ 1983; 7cm in length) is the extant salamanderfish, the only fish with a neck capable of turning the head nearly at right angles to the torso. Like lungfish, the freshwater salamanderfish is capable of surviving dry seasons by burrowing into the sand.

Typically considered the sole member of its own recently discovered order, here freshwater Lepidogalaxias nests at the base of a clade of basal ray fins noted for their long, needle-like teeth, especially the deep sea relatives. Note the large eyes, short rostrum, posterior jaw joint and posterior pelvic fins. Needle-like teeth line the jaws. Derived from the basalmost ray fin fish Prohalecites, molecular studies consistently recover Lepidogalaxias close to the base of the Telostei where it also nests in the LRT.