Classification of Fish

Order

Number of Species

Examples

Superclass Agnatha (jawless fishes)
Class Cyclostomota (scaleless fish with round mouths)
Petromyzoniformes	30	lamprey
Myxiniformes	15	hagfish
Subphylum: Gnathostomata (jawed vertebrates)
Superclass Pisces
Class Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fishes)
Subclass Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays)
Hexanchiformes	6	frilled shark, comb-toothed shark
Heterodontiformes	10	Port Jackson shark
Lamniformes	200	'typical' shark
Rajiformes	300	skate, ray
Subclass Holocephali (rabbitfishes)
Chimaeriformes	20	chimaera, rabbitfish
Class Osteichthyes (bony fishes)
Subclass Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned fishes)
Coelacanthiformes	1	coelacanth
Ceratodiformes	1	Australian lungfish
Lepidosireniformes	4	South American and African lungfish
Subclass Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Polypteriformes	11	bichir, reedfish
Acipensiformes	25	paddlefish, sturgeon
Amiiformes	8	bowfin, garpike
Superorder Teleostei
Elopiformes	12	tarpon, tenpounder
Anguilliformes	300	eel
Notacanthiformes	20	spiny eel
Clupeiformes	350	herring, anchovy
Osteoglossiformes	16	arapaima, African butterfly fish
Mormyriformes	150	elephant-trunk fish, featherback
Salmoniformes	500	salmon, trout, smelt, pike
Gonorhynchiformes	15	milkfish
Cypriniformes	350	carp, barb, characin, loache
Siluriformes	200	catfish
Myctophiformes	300	deep-sea lantern fish, Bombay duck
Percopsiformes	10	pirate perch, cave-dwelling amblyopsid
Batrachoidiformes	10	toadfish
Gobiesociformes	100	clingfish, dragonets
Lophiiformes	150	anglerfish
Gadiformes	450	cod, pollack, pearlfish, eelpout
Atheriniformes	600	flying fish, toothcarp, halfbeak
Lampridiformes	50	opah, ribbonfish
Beryciformes	150	squirrelfish
Zeiformes	60	John Dory, boarfish
Gasterosteiformes	150	stickleback, pipefish, seahorse
Channiformes	5	snakeshead
Synbranchiformes	7	cuchia
Scorpaeniformes	700	gurnard, miller's thumb, stonefish
Dactylopteriformes	6	flying gurnard
Pegasiformes	4	sea-moth
Pleuronectiformes	500	flatfish
Tetraodontiformes	250	puffer fish, triggerfish, sunfish
Perciformes	6,500	perch, cichlid, damsel fish, gobie, wrasse, parrotfish, gourami, marlin, mackerel, tuna, swordfish, spiny eel, mullet, barracuda, sea bream, croaker, ice fish, butterfish