Teleostei

Teleostei Temporal range: Early Triassic–Recent PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
Top to bottom: Retroculus lapidifer (Perciformes: Cichlidae) Hairy Blenny, Labrisomus nuchipinnis (Perciformes: Labrisomidae) Ogcocephalus notatus (Lophiiformes: Ogcocephalidae) Blue Tang, Acanthurus coeruleus (Perciformes: Acanthuridae)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Superclass:	Osteichthyes
Class:	Actinopterygii
Subclass:	Neopterygii
Infraclass:	Teleostei
Superorders
Osteoglossomorpha Elopomorpha Clupeomorpha Ostariophysi Protacanthopterygii Stenopterygii Cyclosquamata Scopelomorpha Lampridiomorpha Polymyxiomorpha Paracanthopterygii Acanthopterygii

Teleostei is one of three infraclasses in class Actinopterygii, the ray-finned fishes. This diverse group, which arose in the Triassic period, includes 26,840 extant species in about 40 orders and 448 families; most living fishes are members of this group. The other two infraclasses, Holostei and Chondrostei, may be paraphyletic.

Characteristics

Teleosts have a movable maxilla and premaxilla and corresponding modifications in the jaw musculature. These modifications make it possible for teleosts to protrude their jaws outwards from the mouth. The caudal fin is homocercal, meaning the upper and lower lobes are about equal in size. The spine ends at the caudal peduncle, distinguishing this group from those in which the spine extends into the upper lobe of the caudal fin.

Systematics and evolution

The oldest teleost fossils date back to early Triassic. Teleosts are here divided into twelve superorders, but this system is unlikely to be entirely correct and is in the process of being studied.

• Superorder Osteoglossomorpha
  • Order Osteoglossiformes, the bony-tongued fishes
  • Order Hiodontiformes, including the mooneye and goldeye
• Superorder Elopomorpha
  • Order Elopiformes, including the ladyfishes and tarpon
  • Order Albuliformes, the bonefishes
  • Order Notacanthiformes, including the halosaurs and spiny eels
  • Order Anguilliformes, the true eels and gulpers
  • Order Saccopharyngiformes, including the gulper eel
• Superorder Clupeomorpha
  • Order Clupeiformes, including herrings and anchovies
• Superorder Ostariophysi
  • Order Gonorynchiformes, including the milkfishes
  • Order Cypriniformes, including barbs, carp, danios, goldfishes, loaches, minnows, rasboras
  • Order Characiformes, including characins, pencilfishes, hatchetfishes, piranhas, tetras.
  • Order Gymnotiformes, including electric eels and knifefishes
  • Order Siluriformes, the catfishes
• Superorder Protacanthopterygii
  • Order Argentiniformes, including the barreleyes and slickheads (formerly in Osmeriformes)
  • Order Salmoniformes, including salmon and trout
  • Order Esociformes the pike
  • Order Osmeriformes, including the smelts and galaxiids
• Superorder Stenopterygii (may belong in Protacanthopterygii)
  • Order Ateleopodiformes, the jellynose fish
  • Order Stomiiformes, including the bristlemouths and marine hatchetfishes
• Superorder Cyclosquamata (may belong in Protacanthopterygii)
  • Order Aulopiformes, including the Bombay duck and lancetfishes
• Superorder Scopelomorpha
  • Order Myctophiformes, including the lanternfishes
• Superorder Lampridiomorpha
  • Order Lampriformes, including the oarfish, opah and ribbonfishes
• Superorder Polymyxiomorpha
  • Order Polymixiiformes, the beardfishes
• Superorder Paracanthopterygii
  • Order Percopsiformes, including the cavefishes and trout-perches
  • Order Batrachoidiformes, the toadfishes
  • Order Lophiiformes, including the anglerfishes
  • Order Gadiformes, including cods
  • Order Ophidiiformes, including the pearlfishes

Silver arowana (Osteoglossum bicirrhosum) of the ancient Osteoglossiformes

• Superorder Acanthopterygii
  • Order Mugiliformes, the mullets
  • Order Atheriniformes, including silversides and rainbowfishes
  • Order Beloniformes, including the flyingfishes
  • Order Cetomimiformes, the whalefishes
  • Order Cyprinodontiformes, including livebearers, killifishes
  • Order Stephanoberyciformes, including the ridgeheads
  • Order Beryciformes, including the fangtooths and pineconefishes
  • Order Zeiformes, including the dories
  • Order Gobiesociformes, the clingfishes
  • Order Gasterosteiformes including sticklebacks, pipefishes, seahorses
  • Order Syngnathiformes, including the seahorses and pipefishes
  • Order Synbranchiformes, including the swamp eels
  • Order Tetraodontiformes, including the filefishes and pufferfish
  • Order Pleuronectiformes, the flatfishes
  • Order Scorpaeniformes, including scorpionfishes and the sculpins
  • Order Perciformes 40% of all fish including anabantids, bass, cichlids, gobies, gouramis, mackerel, perches, scats, whiting, wrasses