Perciformes - WikiHQ

Perciformes (), is an order of ray-finned fish in the clade Percomorpha. Perciformes means "perch-like". Among the well-known members of this group are perches and darters (Percidae), and also sea basses (Serranidae). This order contains many familiar freshwater temperate and tropical marine fish groups, but also extremophiles that have successfully colonized both the North and South Poles, as well as the deepest depths of the ocean.

Taxonomy

Formerly, this group was thought to be even more diverse than it is thought to be now, containing about 41% of all bony fish (about 10,000 species) and about 160 families, which is the most of any order within the vertebrates. However, many of these other families have since been reclassified within their own orders within the clade Percomorpha, significantly reducing the size of the group. In contrast to this splitting, other groups formerly considered distinct, such as the Scorpaeniformes, are now classified in the Perciformes.

Evolution

The earliest fossil perciform is the extinct stem group-perciform Paleoserranus (originally considered an early serranid) from the Early Paleocene of Mexico, but potential records of "percoids" are known from the Maastrichtian, including Eoserranus and Prolates, although their exact taxonomic identity remains uncertain. The earliest crown-group perciform fossils are known from the Early Eocene, including the scorpaenoid Eosynanceja and platycephalid otoliths from New Zealand.

Present classification

The following classification is based on Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes:

Family Hemilepidotidae Jordan & Evermann, 1898 (Irish lords)

?Family †Callipterygidae Jordan, 1905
?Family †Eocottidae Bannikov, 2004
?Family †Robertanniidae Bannikov, 2011
Family †Trispinachidae Nazarkin, 2002

Past classifications

As traditionally defined before the introduction of cladistics, the Perciformes are almost certainly paraphyletic. These are grouped by suborder/superfamily, generally following the text Fishes of the World.

! colspan="1" |Betancur-Rodriguez et al. 2017

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Suborder Percoidei
Superfamily Percoidea
Centropomidae (Snooks)
Latidae (Lates)
Gerreidae (Mojarras)
Centrogenyidae (False scorpionfishes)
Perciliidae (Southern basses)
Howellidae (Oceanic basslets)
Acropomatidae (Lanternbellies)
Epigonidae (Deepwater cardinalfishes)
Polyprionidae (Wreckfishes)
Lateolabracidae (Asian sea-basses)
Mullidae (Goatfishes)
Glaucosomatidae (Pearl perches)
Pempheridae (Sweepers)
Oplegnathidae (Knifejaws)
Kuhliidae (Flagtails)
Bathyclupeidae (Bathyclupeids)
Toxotidae (Archerfishes)
Arripidae (Australasian salmon (kahawai))
Dichistiidae (Galjoen fishes)
Kyphosidae (Sea chubs)
Terapontidae (grunters or tigerperches)
Percichthyidae (temperate perches)
Sinipercidae (Chinese perches)
Enoplosidae (Oldwives)
Pentacerotidae (Armourheads)
Dinopercidae (Cavebasses)
Banjosiidae (Banjofishes)
Centrarchidae (Sunfishes)
Serranidae (Sea basses and Groupers)
Percidae (Perches)
Lactariidae (False trevallies)
Dinolestidae (Long-finned pikes)
Scombropidae (Gnomefishes)
Pomatomidae (Bluefishes)
Bramidae (Pomfrets)
Caristiidae (Manefishes)
Possibly related to Acanthuriformes
Monodactylidae (Moonfishes)
Priacanthidae (Bigeyes (catalufas))
Families which may have a relationship to Acanthuroidei, Monodactylidae, and Priacanthidae
Leiognathidae (Ponyfishes, slimys, or slipmouths)
Chaetodontidae (Butterflyfishes)
Pomacanthidae (Angelfishes)
Malacanthidae (Tilefishes)
Haemulidae (Grunts)
Hapalogenyidae (Barbeled grunters)
Lutjanidae (Snappers)
Caesionidae (Fusiliers)
Superfamily Cirrhitoidea
Cirrhitidae (Hawkfishes)
Chironemidae (Kelpfishes)
Aplodactylidae (Marblefishes)
Cheilodactylidae (Morwongs)
Latridae (Trumpeters)
Superfamily Cepoloidea
Cepolidae (Bandfishes)
Superfamily Siganoidea
Scatophagidae (Scats)
Siganidae (Rabbitfishes)
Suborder Notothenioidei
Bovichtidae (Temperate icefishes)
Pseudaphritidae (Catadromous icefishes)
Eleginopsidae (Patagonian blennies)
Nototheniidae (Cod icefishes)
Harpagiferidae (Spiny plunderfishes)
Artedidraconidae (Barbeled plunderfishes)
Bathydraconidae (Antarctic dragonfishes)
Channichthyidae (Crocodile icefishes)

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Order Perciformes (incl. Gasterosteiformes; Scorpaeniformes)
Suborder Serranoidei
Serranidae
Suborder Percoidei
Trachinidae
Niphonidae
Percidae
Suborder Normanichthyoidei
Normanichthyidae
Suborder Notothenioidei
Artedidraconidae
Bathydraconidae
Bovichtidae
Channichthyidae
Eleginopsidae
Harpagiferidae
Nototheniidae
Percophidae
Pseudaphritidae
Suborder Platycephaloidei
Hoplichthyidae
Bembridae
Parabembridae
Platycephalidae
Plectrogeniidae
Suborder Bembropoidei
Bembropidae
Suborder Triglioidei
Peristediidae
Triglidae
Suborder Scorpaenoidei
Apistidae
Aploactinidae
Congiopodidae
Eschmeyeridae
Gnathanacanthidae
Neosebastidae
Pataecidae
Perryenidae
Synanceiidae
Tetrarogidae
Scorpaenidae (incl. Caracanthidae)
Sebastidae
Setarchidae
Zanclorhynchidae
Suborder Cottoidei
Infraorder Anoplopomatales
Anoplopomatidae
Infraorder Zoarcales
Anarhichadidae
Bathymasteridae
Cryptacanthodidae
Eulophiidae
Zoarcidae
Pholidae
Ptilichthyidae
Zaproridae
Stichaeidae
Scytalinidae
Infraorder Gasterosteales
Hypoptychidae
Aulorhynchidae
Gasterosteidae
Infraorder Zaniolepidales
Zaniolepididae
Infraorder Hexagrammales
Hexagrammidae
Infraorder Cottales
Normanichthyidae
Trichodontidae
Cyclopteridae
Liparidae
Jordaniidae
Rhamphocottidae (Ereuniidae)
Scorpaenichthyidae
Agonidae (incl. Hemitripteridae)
Cottidae (incl. Abyssocottidae, Comephoridae; Cottocomephoridae)
Psychrolutidae (incl. Bathylutichthyidae)

Phylogeny

Cladogram from Near & Thacker, 2024:

Characteristics

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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 (rough to the touch), although sometimes they are cycloid (smooth to the touch) or otherwise modified.