From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The
Actinopterygii
is the
class
of
ray-finned fishes
.
The ray-finned
fishes
get their name from the fact their fins are
webs
of
skin
held by
bony
or
horny
spines
("rays"). This is different from the
fleshy
fins of the fish in the
Sarcopterygii
. Ray-finned fish first appeared in the
Silurian period
.
Actinopterygians are the largest class of
vertebrates
. There are nearly 25,000
species
. They can be found in both
fresh water
and
marine
environments
from the deep
sea
to the highest
mountain
streams
.
Most of the living species are
teleosts
, which are late-comers to the fish domain. The first teleosts are in the
Mesozoic era
, yet now they make up 96% of all fish.
[2]
- Chondrostei
(
bichirs
and
sturgeons
)
- Neopterygii
- Holostei
(
gars
and
bowfins
)
- Teleostei
- Osteoglossomorpha
- Elopomorpha
(
eels
)
- Clupeomorpha
(
herrings
,
anchovies
)
- Ostariophysi
(
goldfish
,
minnows
,
catfish
,
electric eels
)
- Protacanthopterygii
(
salmon
,
trout
,
pike
)
- Stenopterygii
- Cyclosquamata
- Scopelomorpha
- Lampridiomorpha
- Polymyxiomorpha
- Paracanthopterygii
(
cod
,
anglerfish
)
- Acanthopterygii
(
mullets
,
flying fishes
,
sticklebacks
,
seahorses
,
flatfish
,
cichlids
,
mackerel
,
tuna
,
perch
)