Perciformes

{{Automatic taxobox | name = Perciformes | fossil_range = {{Fossil range|63|0|earliest=Maastrichtian|Early Paleocene to present}} | image = Kirnja.jpg | image_caption = | image2 = Gnathanacanthus goetzeei 3.jpg | image2_caption = Top: Dusky grouper (''Epinephelus marginatus'') Bottom: Red velvetfish (''Gnathanacanthus goetzeei'') | taxon = Perciformes | authority = Bleeker, 1863 | subdivision_ranks = Suborders | subdivision = * Percoidei * Notothenioidei * Scorpaenoidei * Cottoidei * Gasterosteoidei * Zoarcoidei | type_species = ''Perca fluviatilis'' | type_species_authority = Linnaeus, 1758 }}

'''Perciformes''' ({{IPAc-en|'|p|ɜːr|s|ᵻ|ˌ|f|ɔːr|m|iː|z}}), is an order of ray-finned fish in the clade Percomorpha. ''Perciformes'' means "perch-like". Among the well-known members of this group are perches and darters (Percidae), and also sea basses (Serranidae).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Perciform - Form and function |url=https://www.britannica.com/animal/perciform |access-date=2019-02-14 |website=Encyclopedia Britannica |language=en}}</ref> This order contains many familiar freshwater temperate and tropical marine fish groups, but also extremophiles that have successfully colonized both the North and South Poles, as well as the deepest depths of the ocean.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Thacker |first1=Christine E. |last2=Near |first2=Thomas J. |date=2025-03-13 |title=Phylogeny, biology, and evolution of acanthopterygian fish clades |journal=Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries |volume=35 |issue=2 |pages=805–845 |language=en |doi=10.1007/s11160-025-09935-w |bibcode=2025RFBF...35..805T |issn=1573-5184|doi-access=free }}</ref>

== Taxonomy == Formerly, this group was thought to be even more diverse than it is thought to be now, containing about 41% of all bony fish (about 10,000 species) and about 160 families, which is the most of any order within the vertebrates.<ref name="nelson">{{Cite book |last=Nelson |first=J. S. |title=Fishes of the World |date=2006 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-0-471-25031-9 |edition=4 |location=Hoboken, NJ}}</ref> However, many of these other families have since been reclassified within their own orders within the clade Percomorpha, significantly reducing the size of the group. In contrast to this splitting, other groups formerly considered distinct, such as the Scorpaeniformes, are now classified in the Perciformes.<ref name="Nelson52">{{cite book |author1=J. S. Nelson |url=https://sites.google.com/site/fotw5th/ |title=Fishes of the World |author2=T. C. Grande |author3=M. V. H. Wilson |publisher=Wiley |year=2016 |isbn=978-1-118-34233-6 |edition=5th |pages=497–502 |access-date=2020-12-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190408194051/https://sites.google.com/site/fotw5th/ |archive-date=2019-04-08 }}</ref>

=== Evolution === The earliest fossil perciform is the extinct stem group-perciform<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last1=Near |first1=Thomas J. |last2=Thacker |first2=Christine E. |date=2024-04-18 |title=Phylogenetic Classification of Living and Fossil Ray-Finned Fishes (Actinopterygii) |url=https://bioone.org/journals/bulletin-of-the-peabody-museum-of-natural-history/volume-65/issue-1/014.065.0101/Phylogenetic-Classification-of-Living-and-Fossil-Ray-Finned-Fishes-Actinopterygii/10.3374/014.065.0101.full |journal=Bulletin of the Peabody Museum of Natural History |volume=65 |issue=1 |page=101 |doi=10.3374/014.065.0101 |bibcode=2024BPMNH..65..101N |issn=0079-032X|url-access=subscription }}</ref> ''Paleoserranus'' (originally considered an early serranid) from the Early Paleocene of Mexico, but potential records of "percoids" are known from the Maastrichtian, including ''Eoserranus'' and ''Prolates'', although their exact taxonomic identity remains uncertain.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last1=Cantalice |first1=Kleyton M. |last2=Alvarado-Ortega |first2=Jesús |last3=Alaniz-Galvan |first3=Abril |date=2018-04-01 |title=Paleoserranus lakamhae gen. et sp. nov., a Paleocene seabass (Perciformes: Serranidae) from Palenque, Chiapas, southeastern Mexico |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S089598111730487X |journal=Journal of South American Earth Sciences |volume=83 |pages=137–146 |doi=10.1016/j.jsames.2018.01.010 |bibcode=2018JSAES..83..137C |issn=0895-9811|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Kriwet |first1=Jürgen |last2=Arratia |first2=Gloria |last3=López-Arbarello |first3=Adriana |last4=Parmar |first4=Varun |last5=Prasad |first5=Guntupalli |date=2004-01-01 |title=Late Cretaceous-Paleocene percomorphs (Teleostei) from India - early radiation of perciformes |url=https://www.academia.edu/978479 |journal=Recent Advances in …}}</ref> The earliest crown-group perciform fossils are known from the Early Eocene, including the scorpaenoid ''Eosynanceja'' and platycephalid otoliths from New Zealand.<ref name=":0" />

=== Classification === Classification of this group has long been controversial, with various families being placed in and out of Perciformes depending on the study. Only in recent decades, with the advent of molecular phylogenetics, has the classification of the family been largely resolved. Based on these studies, many suborders formerly placed within the Perciformes are better placed elsewhere in the Percomorpha, but former members of the Scorpaeniformes, Gasterosteiformes, and some members of the Trachiniformes (including the type genus) are now considered true perciforms.<ref name="Betancur-Rodriguez-4" /><ref name=":13">{{Cite web |last1=Fricke |first1=R. |last2=Eschmeyer |first2=W. N. |last3=Van der Laan |first3=R. |date=2025 |title=ESCHMEYER'S CATALOG OF FISHES: CLASSIFICATION |url=https://www.calacademy.org/eschmeyers-catalog-of-fishes-classification |access-date=2025-08-14 |website=California Academy of Sciences |language=en}}</ref>

==== Present classification ==== The following classification is based on ''Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes'':<ref name=":13" />

* Order '''Perciformes''' ** Genus †''Paleoserranus'' Cantalice, Alvarado-Ortega & Alaniz-Galvan, 2018<ref name=":1" /> ** Suborder Percoidei *** Family Serranidae Swainson, 1839 (sea basses) *** Family Anthiadidae Poey, 1861 (fairy basslets or streamer basses) *** Family Epinephelidae Bleeker, 1874 (groupers) *** Family Liopropomatidae Poey, 1867 (painted basslets) *** Family Grammistidae Bleeker, 1857 (soapfishes) *** Family Percidae Rafinesque, 1815 (perches and darters) *** Family Niphonidae Jordan, 1923 (Ara groupers) *** Family Trachinidae Rafinesque, 1815 (weeverfishes) *** Family Bembropidae Regan, 1913 (flatheads or duckbill flatheads) ** Suborder Notothenioidei *** Family Percophidae Swainson, 1839 (Brazilian flatheads) *** Family Bovichtidae Gill, 1862 (thornfishes) *** Family Pseudaphritidae McCulloch, 1929 (congollis) *** Family Eleginopidae Gill, 1893 (Patagonian blennies) *** Family Nototheniidae Günther, 1861 (cod icefishes) *** Family Harpagiferidae Gill, 1861 (plunderfishes) *** Family Bathydraconidae Regan, 1913 (Antarctic dragonfishes) *** Family Channichthyidae Gill, 1861 (crocodile icefishes) ** Suborder Scorpaenoidei *** Family Platycephalidae Swainson, 1839 (flatheads) *** Family Hoplichthyidae Kaup, 1873 (spiny flatheads) *** Family Triglidae Rafinesque, 1815 (searobins) *** Family Bembridae Kaup, 1873 (deepwater flatheads) *** Family Synanceiidae Swainson, 1839 (stonefishes) *** Family Neosebastidae Matsubara, 1943 (gurnard scorpionfishes) *** Family Plectrogeniidae Fowler, 1938 (stinger flatheads) *** Family Scorpaenidae Risso, 1827 (scorpionfishes) *** Family Congiopodidae Gill, 1889 (racehorses or pigfishes) *** Family Zanclorhynchidae Andriashev, 1993 (horsefishes) *** Family Normanichthyidae Clark, 1937 (barehead scorpionfishes ) ** Suborder Cottoidei *** Family Anoplopomatidae Jordan & Gilbert ,1883 (sablefishes) *** Family Zaniolepididae Jordan & Gilbert, 1883 (combfishes) *** Family Hexagrammidae Jordan, 1888 (greenlings) *** Family Rhamphocottidae Jordan & Gilbert, 1883 (horsehead sculpins) *** Family Jordaniidae Jordan & Evermann, 1898 (longfin sculpins) *** Family Cottidae Bonaparte, 1831 (sculpins) *** Family Psychrolutidae Günther, 1861 (marine sculpins) *** Family Nautichthyidae Taranetz, 1941 (sailfin sculpins)<ref name=":02">{{Cite journal |last=Vandenberg|first=Megan L.|last2=Heiple|first2=Zach|last3=Kolmann|first3=Matthew A.|last4=Buser|first4=Thaddaeus|last5=Summers|first5=Adam P.|last6=Meléndez-Vazquez|first6=Fernando|last7=Arcila|first7=Dahiana|last8=Maslenikov|first8=Katherine P.|last9=Tornabene|first9=Luke|date=2026-04-01|title=Phylogenomics of poachers (Agonidae) and the evolution of armor in cottoid fishes (Perciformes: Cottoidei)|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1055790326000229|journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution|volume=217|article-number=108552|doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2026.108552|issn=1055-7903|url-access=subscription}}</ref> *** Family Hemilepidotidae Jordan & Evermann, 1898 (Irish lords)<ref name=":02" /> *** Family Hemitripteridae Gill, 1865 (sea ravens)<ref name=":02" /> *** Family Agonidae Swainson, 1839 (poachers) *** Family Trichodontidae Bleeker, 1859 (sandfishes) *** Family Cyclopteridae Bonaparte, 1831 (lumpfishes) *** Family Liparidae Gill, 1861 (snailfishes) ** Suborder Gasterosteoidei *** Family Hypoptychidae Steindachner, 1880 (sand-eels) *** Family Gasterosteidae Bonaparte, 1831 (sticklebacks) *** Family Aulorhynchidae Gill, 1861 (tubesnouts) ** Suborder Zoarcoidei *** Family Bathymasteridae Jordan & Gilbert, 1883 (ronquils) *** Family Cebidichthyidae Gill, 1862 (monkeyface pricklebacks) *** Family Stichaeidae Gill, 1864 (pricklebacks) *** Family Scytalinidae Jordan & Starks, 1895 (graveldivers) *** Family Opisthocentridae Jordan & Evermann, 1898 (rearspined fin pricklebacks) *** Family Ptilichthyidae Jordan & Gilbert, 1883 (quillfishes) *** Family Pholidae Gill, 1893 (gunnels) *** Family Zaproridae Jordan, 1896 (prowfishes) *** Family Cryptacanthodidae Gill, 1861 (wrymouths) *** Family Lumpenidae Jordan & Evermann, 1898 (eel pricklebacks) *** Family Eulophiidae Smith, 1902 (spinous eelpouts) *** Family Neozoarcidae Jordan & Snyder, 1902 (largemouth kissing eelpouts) *** Family Anarhichadidae Bonaparte, 1835 (wolffishes) *** Family Zoarcidae Swainson, 1839 (eelpouts) The following fossil families may also belong to Perciformes ''sensu stricto'', although this is uncertain:<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Laan |first=Richard van der |date=2018-10-11 |title=Family-group names of fossil fishes |url=https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/view/597 |journal=European Journal of Taxonomy |language=en |issue=466 |doi=10.5852/ejt.2018.466 |issn=2118-9773|doi-access=free }}</ref>

* ?Family †Callipterygidae Jordan, 1905 * ?Family †Eocottidae Bannikov, 2004 * ?Family †Robertanniidae Bannikov, 2011 * Family †Trispinachidae Nazarkin, 2002

==== Past classifications ==== As traditionally defined before the introduction of cladistics, the Perciformes are almost certainly paraphyletic. These are grouped by suborder/superfamily, generally following the text ''Fishes of the World''.<ref name="nelson" /><ref>{{FishBase order |order=Perciformes|month=August |year=2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=ADW: Perciformes|url=https://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Perciformes/classification/|work=animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu|publisher=Animal Diversity Web}}</ref><ref name="Nelson5" /> [[File:Perciformes 01.jpg|thumb|right|240px|Perciformes display at the National Museum of Natural History.]] [[File:Pomacanthus semicirculatus 1.jpg|thumb|right|''Pomacanthus semicirculatus'']]

{| |- | {| class="wikitable" |- ! colspan="1" |Nelson 2016<ref name="Nelson5">{{cite book |title=Fishes of the World |edition=5th |author1=J. S. Nelson |author2=T. C. Grande |author3=M. V. H. Wilson |year=2016 |pages=430–467 |publisher=Wiley |isbn=978-1-118-34233-6 |url=https://sites.google.com/site/fotw5th/ |access-date=20 February 2020 |archive-date=8 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190408194051/https://sites.google.com/site/fotw5th/ }}</ref> ! colspan="1" |Betancur-Rodriguez et al. 2017<ref name="Betancur-Rodriguez-4">{{cite journal |last1=Betancur-R |first1=Ricardo |last2=Wiley |first2=Edward O. |last3=Arratia |first3=Gloria |last4=Acero |first4=Arturo |last5=Bailly |first5=Nicolas |last6=Miya |first6=Masaki |last7=Lecointre |first7=Guillaume |last8=Ortí |first8=Guillermo |title=Phylogenetic classification of bony fishes |journal=BMC Evolutionary Biology |date=6 July 2017 |volume=17 |issue=1 |page=162 |doi=10.1186/s12862-017-0958-3 |pmid=28683774 |issn=1471-2148|doi-access=free |pmc=5501477 |bibcode=2017BMCEE..17..162B }}</ref> |- style="vertical-align:top;" | style="width:50%;" | * Suborder Percoidei ** Superfamily Percoidea *** Centropomidae (Snooks) *** Latidae (Lates) *** Gerreidae (Mojarras) *** Centrogenyidae (False scorpionfishes) *** Perciliidae (Southern basses) *** Howellidae (Oceanic basslets) *** Acropomatidae (Lanternbellies) *** Epigonidae (Deepwater cardinalfishes) *** Polyprionidae (Wreckfishes) *** Lateolabracidae (Asian sea-basses) *** Mullidae (Goatfishes) *** Glaucosomatidae (Pearl perches) *** Pempheridae (Sweepers) *** Oplegnathidae (Knifejaws) *** Kuhliidae (Flagtails) *** Bathyclupeidae (Bathyclupeids) *** Toxotidae (Archerfishes) *** Arripidae (Australasian salmon (kahawai)) *** Dichistiidae (Galjoen fishes) *** Kyphosidae (Sea chubs) *** Terapontidae (grunters or tigerperches) *** Percichthyidae (temperate perches) *** Sinipercidae (Chinese perches) *** Enoplosidae (Oldwives) *** Pentacerotidae (Armourheads) *** Dinopercidae (Cavebasses) *** Banjosiidae (Banjofishes) *** Centrarchidae (Sunfishes) *** Serranidae (Sea basses and Groupers) *** Percidae (Perches) *** Lactariidae (False trevallies) *** Dinolestidae (Long-finned pikes) *** Scombropidae (Gnomefishes) *** Pomatomidae (Bluefishes) *** Bramidae (Pomfrets) *** Caristiidae (Manefishes) **Possibly related to Acanthuriformes *** Monodactylidae (Moonfishes) *** Priacanthidae (Bigeyes (catalufas)) **Families which may have a relationship to Acanthuroidei, Monodactylidae, and Priacanthidae *** Leiognathidae (Ponyfishes, slimys, or slipmouths) *** Chaetodontidae (Butterflyfishes) *** Pomacanthidae (Angelfishes) *** Malacanthidae (Tilefishes) *** Haemulidae (Grunts) *** Hapalogenyidae (Barbeled grunters) *** Lutjanidae (Snappers) *** Caesionidae (Fusiliers) ** Superfamily Cirrhitoidea *** Cirrhitidae (Hawkfishes) *** Chironemidae (Kelpfishes) *** Aplodactylidae (Marblefishes) *** Cheilodactylidae (Morwongs) *** Latridae (Trumpeters) **Superfamily Cepoloidea *** Cepolidae (Bandfishes) **Superfamily Siganoidea *** Scatophagidae (Scats) *** Siganidae (Rabbitfishes) * Suborder Notothenioidei ** Bovichtidae (Temperate icefishes) ** Pseudaphritidae (Catadromous icefishes) ** Eleginopsidae (Patagonian blennies) ** Nototheniidae (Cod icefishes) ** Harpagiferidae (Spiny plunderfishes) ** Artedidraconidae (Barbeled plunderfishes) ** Bathydraconidae (Antarctic dragonfishes) ** Channichthyidae (Crocodile icefishes) | style="width:50%;" | * Order '''Perciformes''' (incl. Gasterosteiformes; Scorpaeniformes) ** Suborder Serranoidei *** Serranidae ** Suborder Percoidei *** Trachinidae *** Niphonidae *** Percidae ** Suborder Normanichthyoidei *** Normanichthyidae ** Suborder Notothenioidei ***Artedidraconidae ***Bathydraconidae *** Bovichtidae ***Channichthyidae *** Eleginopsidae ***Harpagiferidae *** Nototheniidae *** Percophidae *** Pseudaphritidae ** Suborder Platycephaloidei *** Hoplichthyidae *** Bembridae *** Parabembridae *** Platycephalidae *** Plectrogeniidae ** Suborder Bembropoidei *** Bembropidae ** Suborder Triglioidei *** Peristediidae *** Triglidae ** Suborder Scorpaenoidei *** Apistidae *** Aploactinidae *** Congiopodidae *** Eschmeyeridae *** Gnathanacanthidae *** Neosebastidae *** Pataecidae *** Perryenidae *** Synanceiidae *** Tetrarogidae *** Scorpaenidae (incl. Caracanthidae) *** Sebastidae *** Setarchidae *** Zanclorhynchidae ** Suborder Cottoidei *** Infraorder Anoplopomatales **** Anoplopomatidae *** Infraorder Zoarcales **** Anarhichadidae **** Bathymasteridae **** Cryptacanthodidae **** Eulophiidae **** Zoarcidae **** Pholidae **** Ptilichthyidae **** Zaproridae **** Stichaeidae **** Scytalinidae *** Infraorder Gasterosteales **** Hypoptychidae **** Aulorhynchidae **** Gasterosteidae *** Infraorder Zaniolepidales **** Zaniolepididae *** Infraorder Hexagrammales **** Hexagrammidae *** Infraorder Cottales **** Normanichthyidae **** Trichodontidae **** Cyclopteridae **** Liparidae **** Jordaniidae **** Rhamphocottidae (Ereuniidae) **** Scorpaenichthyidae **** Agonidae (incl. Hemitripteridae) **** Cottidae (incl. Abyssocottidae, Comephoridae; Cottocomephoridae) **** Psychrolutidae (incl. Bathylutichthyidae) |} |}

=== Phylogeny === Cladogram from Near & Thacker, 2024:<ref name="Near2024">{{cite journal |last1=Near |first1=T. J. |last2=Thacker |first2=C. E. |title=Phylogenetic Classification of Living and Fossil Ray-Finned Fishes (Actinopterygii) |journal=Bulletin of the Peabody Museum of Natural History |date=2024 |volume=65 |issue=1 |doi=10.3374/014.065.0101}}</ref>

{{Clade|style=font-size: 80%; line-height: 80% |label1=pan-perciforms |1={{Clade |1={{Extinct}}''Paleoserranus'' |label2='''Perciformes''' |2={{Clade sequential |1={{Clade |1=Anthiadidae |2=Epinephelidae }} |2=''Acanthistius'' |3={{Clade |1={{Clade |1=Bembropidae |2=Serranidae }} |label2=Percoidei |2={{Clade sequential |1=Trachinidae |2=''Niphon spinosus'' |3=Percidae }} }} |label4=Notothenioidei |4={{Clade sequential |1=''Percophis brasiliensis'' |2=Bovichtidae |3=''Pseudaphritis urvillii'' |4={{Clade |label1=pan-eleginopids |1={{Clade |1={{Extinct}}''Proeleginops'' |2=''Eleginops maclovinus'' }} }} |5={{Clade |1=''Pleuragramma antarcticum'' |2=Trematominae |3={{Clade |1=''Aethotaxis mitopteryx'' |2=''Dissostichus'' |3=''Gvozdarus'' }} |4={{Clade sequential |1=''Gobionotothen'' |2=Nototheniidae |3=Harpagiferidae |4=Bathydraconidae |5=Channichthyidae }} }} }} |label5=Scorpaenoidei |5={{Clade sequential |1=Platycephalidae |2={{Clade |label1=Scorpaenoidea |1={{Clade sequential |1={{Clade |1=''Hoplichthys'' |2=''Normanichthys crockeri'' }} |2={{Clade |1=Neosebastidae |2=Plectrogeniidae }} |3=Congiopodidae |4=Scorpaenidae |5=Synanceiidae }} }} |3=Bembridae |4=Triglidae |5=Anoplopomatidae |6={{Clade |label1=Cottoidea |1={{Clade sequential |1={{Clade sequential |1={{Clade |1=Jordaniidae |2=Rhamphocottidae }} |2={{Clade |1=Agonidae |2=''Scorpaenichthys marmoratus'' }} |3=Cottidae |4=Psychrolutidae }} |2=Zaniolepididae |3={{Clade |label1=pan-hexagrammids |1={{Clade sequential |1={{Extinct}}''Sakhalinia'' |2={{Extinct}}''Paraophiodon'' |3=Hexagrammidae }} }} |4=Trichodontidae |5=Cyclopteridae |6=Liparidae }} }} |7=Gasterosteidae |label8=Zoarcoidea |8={{Clade |1=Bathymasteridae |2=Eulophiidae |3={{Clade sequential |1=Cebidichthyidae |2=Stichaeidae |3={{Clade |1=''Cryptacanthodes'' |2=Lumpenidae }} |4={{Clade sequential |1=Neozoarcidae |2=Anarhichadidae |3=Zoarcidae }} |5=''Zaprora silenus'' |6=Opisthocentridae |7=''Ptilichthys goodei'' |8={{Extinct}}''Agnevichthys'' |9={{Extinct}}''Palaeopholis'' |10=Pholidae }} }} }} }} }} }}

==Characteristics==  The dorsal and anal fins are divided into anterior spiny and posterior soft-rayed portions, which may be partially or completely separated. The pelvic fins usually have one spine and up to five soft rays, positioned unusually far forward under the chin or under the belly. Scales are usually ctenoid (rough to the touch), although sometimes they are cycloid (smooth to the touch) or otherwise modified.

==References== {{Reflist}}

Category:Perciformes Category:Actinopterygii orders Category:Taxa named by Pieter Bleeker Category:Extant Danian first appearances