Perciform
The
Perciformes, also called the
Percomorphi or
Acanthopteri, include about 40% of all
fish and are the largest order of
vertebrates. The name
Perciformes means
perch-like. They belong to the
ray-finned fish and comprise over 7000 different species, with varying shapes and sizes, found in almost all aquatic environments. They first appeared and diversified in the late
Cretaceous.
Perciform fish typically have dorsal and anal fins divided into anterior spiny and posterior soft-rayed portions, which may be partially or completely separated. There are usually pelvic fins with one spine and up to five soft rays, either positioned by the throat or under the belly. Scales are usually ctenoid in form, though sometimes they are cycloid or otherwise modified. Various other, more technical characters define the group.
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.
Families
These are grouped by suborder/superfamily, generally following Fishes of the World.
- Suborder Percoidei
- Superfamily Percoidea
- Centropomidae (snooks)
- Chandidae (Asiatic glassfishes)
- Moronidae (temperate basses)
- Percichthyidae (temperate perches)
- Acropomatidae (temperate ocean-basses)
- Serranidae (sea basses, groupers)
- Ostracoberycidae
- Callanthiidae
- Pseudochromidae (dottybacks)
- Grammatidae (basslets)
- Plesiopidae
- Notograptidae
- Opistognathidae (jawfishes)
- Dinopercidae
- Banjosidae
- Centrarchidae (freshwater sunfishes)
- Percidae (perches and darters)
- Priacanthidae (bigeyes, catalufas)
- Apogonidae (cardinalfishes)
- Epigonidae (deepwater cardinalfishes)
- Sillaginidae (whitingss et al)
- Malacanthidae (tilefishes)
- Lactariidae (false trevallies)
- Dinolestidae (long-finned pike)
- Pomatomidae (bluefishes)
- Nematistiidae (roosterfish)
- Echeneidae (remoras)
- Rachycentridae (cobia)
- Coryphaenidae (dolphinfishes)
- Carangidae (jackss, pompanos)
- Menidae (moonfish)
- Leiognathidae (ponyfishes)
- Bramidae (pomfrets)
- Caristiidae (manefishes)
- Emmelichthyidae (rovers)
- Lutjanidae (snappers, fusiliers)
- Lobotidae (tripletails)
- Gerreidae (mojarras)
- Haemulidae (gruntss)
- Inermiidae (bonnetmouths)
- Sparidae (porgies)
- Centracanthidae
- Lethrinidae
- Nemipteridae (threadfin breams)
- Polynemidae (threadfins)
- Sciaenidae (drumss)
- Mullidae (goatfishes)
- Pempheridae (sweepers)
- Glaucosomatidae (pearl perches)
- Leptobramidae (beachsalmon)
- Bathyclupeidae
- Monodactylidae (moonfishes)
- Toxotidae (archerfishes)
- Coracinidae (galjoen fishes)
- Drepanidae
- Chaetodontidae (butterflyfishes)
- Pomacanthidae (angelfisheses)
- Enoplosidae (oldwife)
- Pentacerotidae (armorheads)
- Nandidae (leaffishes)
- Kyphosidae (sea chubs)
- Arripidae (Australasian salmon)
- Teraponidae (grunters or tigerperches)
- Kuhliidae (flagtails or aholeholes)
- Oplegnathidae (knifejaws)
- Superfamily Cirrhitoidea
- Superfamily Cepoloidea
- Suborder Elassomatoidei
- Elassomatidae (pygmy sunfishes)
- Suborder Labroidei
- Suborder Zoarcoidei
- Suborder Notothenioidei
- Suborder Trachinoidei
- Chiasmodontidae
- Champsodontidae
- Pholidichthyidae (convict blenny)
- Trichodontidae (sandfishes)
- Pinguipedidae (sandperches)
- Cheimarrhichthyidae
- Trichonotidae (sanddivers)
- Creediidae (sandburrowers)
- Percophidae (duckbills)
- Leptoscopidae
- Ammodytidae (sand lances)
- Trachinidae (weeverfishes)
- Uranoscopidae (stargazers)
- Suborder Blennioidei
- Suborder Icosteoidei
- Suborder Gobiesocoidei
- Gobiesocidae (clingfishes)
- Suborder Callionymoidei
- Suborder Gobioidei
- Rhyacichthyidae (loach gobies)
- Odontobutidae
- Eleotridae (sleepers)
- Gobiidae (gobies)
- Kraemeriidae (sandfishes or sand gobies)
- Xenisthmidae
- Microdesmidae (wormfishes and dartfishes)
- Schindleriidae
- Suborder Kurtoidei
- Suborder Acanthuroidei
- Suborder Scombrolabracoidei
- Suborder Scombroidei
- Suborder Stromateoidei
- Amarsipidae
- Centrolophidae (medusafishes)
- Nomeidae (driftfishes)
- Ariommatidae
- Tetragonuridae (squaretails)
- Stromateidae (butterfishes)
- Suborder Anabantoidei
- Luciocephalidae (pikehead)
- Anabantidae (climbing gouramies)
- Helostomatidae (kissing gourami)
- Belontiidae (gouramies)
- Osphronemidae (giant gouramies)
- Suborder Channoidei
Reference