Salmoniformes
Order of fishes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Salmoniformes (/sælˈmɒnɪfɔːrmiːz/, lit. "salmon-shaped") is an order of ray-finned fishes native to the temperate and subarctic Northern Hemisphere.[1] It contains two suborders: Salmonoidei (containing only the Salmonidae) and Esocoidei (containing pikes and mudminnows).[1] In addition, potential fossil members of the group, dating back to the Late Cretaceous, are also known from Europe and Africa.[2] Both large-sized members of this order (Salmonidae and Esocidae) are important food and sport fish of the Northern Hemisphere.
| Salmoniformes Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
| |
| Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) | |
 | |
| Muskellunge (Esox masquinony) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Superorder: | Protacanthopterygii |
| Order: | Salmoniformes Bleeker, 1859 |
| Families | |
Taxonomy
The relationship between salmons, pikes, and mudminnows has long been well-attested based on phylogenetic and morphological studies, and all three groups were long placed in the Salmoniformes.[3] In the early 21st century, pikes and mudminnows were split from the Salmoniformes and placed into their own order, Esociformes.[4] However, as recent studies have reaffirmed their close relationship, more recent taxonomic authorities again place the Esociformes as a group within the Salmoniformes (Esocoidei).[1][2]
The following classification is based on Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes:[1]
- Order Salmoniformes
- Suborder Esocoidei
- Suborder Salmonoidei
- Family Salmonidae Cuvier, 1816
- Subfamily Coregoninae Bonaparte, 1845
- Subfamily Thymallinae Gill, 1885
- Subfamily Salmoninae Cuvier, 1816
- Family Salmonidae Cuvier, 1816
The following fossil taxa are also considered much more basal members of this order:[2]
- †Barcarenichthys Gayet, 1989 (Cenomanian of Portugal)
- †Kermichthys Taverne, 1992 (Cenomanian of Morocco)[5]
- †Pyrenichthys Gayet & Lepicard, 1985 (Maastrichtian of France)[6]
- ?†Stompooria Anderson, 1998 (potentially a galaxiiform)[7] (Maastrichtian of South Africa)
Indeterminate potential salmoniform remains are known from Santonian-aged freshwater deposits of Hungary.[8]
In the past, other euteleost fish such as the smelts or tubeshoulders were also placed within this order,[9][10] but such a placement is now known to be inaccurate.[1] Phylogenetic studies generally recover either the Argentiniformes or the Galaxiiformes as the closest relatives of the Salmoniformes.[1][2][4]