Series Percomorpha
·
Pelvic fin position thoracic or jugular
·
Fin spines; or benthic, cryptic lifestyle
·
Protractile premaxilla
·
Physoclistous swimbladder; if
present
·
Absence of: otophysic connections; photophores; viviparity (with a
few exceptions)
Order Beryciformes - 7 families; 123 spp.;
near-shore, deepwater marine
Family Holocentridae (60+ spp)
·
Squirrelfishes
·
Slow growing and maturing
Order Gasterosteiformes - 11 families; 257 spp.;
inshore marine; freshwater
Family Gasterosteidae
·
Sticklebacks
·
Complex nest-building and courtship behaviors
Family Syngnathidae
·
Pipefishes, seahorses
Order Scorpaeniformes - 25 families; 1264 spp;
marine, freshwater
·
One of the largest teleost orders
·
Suborbital stay (bony process) on cheek
·
Most found at depths <100m,
Family Scorpaenidae
·
Rockfishes and scorpionfishes
·
Found mainly in Indian and Pacific oceans, some in
·
Often possess toxic dorsal and anal spines
·
Diurnal, bottom oriented predators, some give live birth, long-lived
(140 years)
Family Triglidae
·
Sea-robins
·
Specialized pectorals, first two or three spines; benthic feeders
Family Cottidae
·
Sculpins
·
Freshwater and inshore marine
Order Perciformes -- 128 families, 9300 spp.,
worldwide, marine, FW
Features
common to Perciformes
·
Fin spines present
·
Dorsal fin in two distinct parts
·
No adipose fin
·
Pelvic fins jugular or thoracic
·
Pectoral fins on side of body with vertical insertion
·
17 or fewer (usually 15) principle caudal rays
·
Scales usually ctenoid when present
·
Swimbladder physoclistous or
absent
Suborder Percoidei -- 71 families, 2860 spp.,
worldwide marine and
Freshwater
Family Serranidae -- seabasses
Family Centrarchidae --
sunfishes
Family Apogonidae -- cardinalfishes
Family Carangidae -- jacks
Family Sciaenidae -- drums
Family Chaetodontidae --
butterfly fishes
Suborder Labroidei -- 6 families, 2200 species, marine and
freshwater, tropical, subtropical and temperate
Family Cichlidae --
cichlids
·
African rift lakes remarkable diversity in a very short time
Family Labridae --
wrasses, hogfish, tautogs
Family Pomacentridae --
damselfishes
Family Scaridae -- parrotfishes
Suborder Notothenoidei -- 5 families, 122 spp., Antarctic waters
·
Remarkable physiological adaptations for living in water as cold as
-1.9oC
Suborder Gobioidei -- 8 families, 2100 spp.,
tropical, subtropical, temperate, marine, freshwater
Family Gobiidae – gobies
(2nd largest family of fishes – 1875 spp.)
Family Eleotridae --
sleepers
Suborder Scombroidei -- 6 families, 136 spp.,
tropical and temperate seas worldwide
Family Sphyraenidae --
barracudas
Family Scombridae --
tunas, mackerels
Family Xiphiidae --
swordfishes
Family Istiophoridae --
billfishes
Alteration of
the Acanthopterygian body plan, suggested to indicate
derived evolutionary position
·
Flatfishes
·
Triggerfishes, boxfishes, puffers,
molas
Order Pleuronectiformes -- 11 families, 570 spp.,
tropical, temperate marine, freshwater
Key
Morphological features and Metamorphosis
·
Juvenile and adult forms asymmetrical -- larvae bilaterally symmetrical
·
Metamorphosis occurs between 4 to 120 mm over about a 5 day period
·
Anterior neurocranium, brain, and eyesockets rotate
·
Semicircular canals rotate 90o, lateral line sometimes
absent from bottom side
·
Swim bladder reduced or absent in adults
·
Migration of eyes can be dextral (right-eyed), or sinistral
(left-eyed); some species polymorphic (starry flounders -- Pleuronectidae)
Family Bothidae --
left-eye flounders
Family Pleuronectidae --
right-eye flounders
Family Soleidae -- true
soles
·
Boneless filets, delicate, retain flavor for days
Order Tetraondontiformes -- 9 families, 339 spp.,
tropical, temperate marine, freshwater
Key
Morphological Features:
·
Name refers to common pattern of four teeth (formed from fusion of
ancient teeth)
·
Loss of pelvic fin and girdle (Balistidae, Tetraondontidae, Molidae)
·
High degree of fusion and loss of bones in head and body; reduction in
vertebrae, hyomandibular firmly attached to skull,
maxilla and premaxilla fused
·
Large jaw musculature, pharyngeal dentition stout
·
Secondarily evolved bony armor
Ecology:
·
Locomation varies from balistiform
to ostraciform
·
Feed on molluscs, sponges, sea-urchins,
corals and jellyfishes (Molidae) -- usually
unavailable to other fishes. Other species are predators, zooplankton
feeders
·
Many species have poisonous flesh -- tetrodotoxin
(TTX)
·
Most potent non-protein poison known; acts on nervous system
·
Concentrated in ovaries, liver, kidney (highest concentrations prior to
spawning)
Family Balistidae -- triggerfishes
·
Hawaiian name humuhumu nukunuku apua'a literally translates to "fish that sews
with a needle and grunts like a pig"
·
Sound production by grinding of teeth or vibration of swim bladder
·
Have stout 1st dorsal spine, with second spine forming interlocking
"trigger"
·
Can rotate eyes independently
·
Balistiform locomation
·
Nippers, browsers, and scrapers on coral reef
Family Ostraciidae -- boxfishes
·
Entire body except fins encased in a bony box (x.s.
triangular or rectangular)
·
Some species discharge toxin when handled
Families Tetraondontidae, Diodontidae, -- pufferfishes,
burrfishes
·
Distinguished by the number of bony plates in jaw
Family Molidae -- ocean
sunfishes (3 spp.)
·
Possess fused teeth in jaw, like other members of the order
·
Reversal to cartilaginous elements in skull, fin supports
·
No spiny dorsal fin, pseudocaudal tail (made
of dorsal and anal fin rays)
·
No bony plates in skin; however skin is thick and dense (like
cartilage)
·
Drift in open water, known to leap out of the water on occasion
·
Body size up to 2 m long and 1000kg; high fecundity (300 million eggs)
·
Eat jellyfish and squid