Perciformes

Perciformes
Temporal range: 100.5–0 Ma

Late Cretaceous to Recent

Yellow perch, Perca flavescens
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Infraclass: Teleostei
Superorder: Acanthopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Bleeker, 1859

Perciformes, also called the Percomorphi or Acanthopteri, are the largest order of vertebrates, containing about 41% of all bony fish. Perciformes means "perch-like". They belong to the class of ray-finned fish, and comprise over 10,000 species found in almost all aquatic ecosystems.

The order contains about 160 families, which is the most of any order within the vertebrates.[1] It is also the most variably sized order of vertebrates, ranging from the 7-mm (1/4-in) Schindleria brevipinguis to the marlin in the Makaira genus. They first appeared and diversified in the Late Cretaceous.

Among the well-known members of this group are cichlids, California sheephead, bluegill, damselfish, bass, and perch.

Characteristics

The dorsal and anal fins are divided into anterior spiny and posterior soft-rayed portions, which may be partially or completely separated. The pelvic fins usually have one spine and up to five soft rays, positioned unusually far forward under the chin or under the belly. Scales are usually ctenoid, although sometimes they are cycloid or otherwise modified.

Taxonomy

Classification is controversial. As traditionally defined, the Perciformes are almost certainly paraphyletic. Other orders that should possibly be included as suborders are the Scorpaeniformes, Tetraodontiformes, and Pleuronectiformes. Of the presently recognized suborders, several may be paraphyletic, as well. These are grouped by suborder/superfamily, generally following the text Fishes of the World.[1][2][3]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Perciformes.
Wikispecies has information related to: Perciformes
  1. 1 2 Nelson, J. S. (2006). Fishes of the World (4 ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-471-25031-9.
  2. ↑ Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2015). "Perciformes" in FishBase. August 2015 version.
  3. ↑ "ADW: Perciformes". http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu. Animal Diversity Web. External link in |work= (help)
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