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Perciform

Perciformes
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Actinopterygii
Order:Perciformes
Families
Suborder Percoidei
   Carangidae (jacks)
   Centrarchidae (freshwater sunfishes)
   Centropomidae (snooks)
   Chaetodontidae (butterflyfishes)
   Coryphaenidae (dolphinfishes)
   Echeneidae (remoras)
   Haemulidae (grunts)
   Mullidae (goatfishes)
   Percidae (perches and darters)
   Pomatomidae (bluefishes)
   Sciaenidae (drums)
   Serranidae (groupers)
   Sparidae (porgies)
   Toxotidae (archerfishes)
    (60 more)
Suborder Elassomatoidei
   Elassomatidae (pygmy sunfishes)
Suborder Labroidei
   Cichlidae (cichlids)
   Labridae (wrasses)
   Pomacentridae (damselfishes)
   Scaridae (parrotfishes)
   Embiotocidae (surfperches)
   Odacidae
Suborder Zoarcoidei
   Bathymasteridae (ronquils)
   Zoarcidae (eelpouts)
   Stichaeidae (pricklebacks)
   Cryptacanthodidae
   Pholidae
   Anarhichadidae
   Ptilichthyidae
   Zaproridae
   Scytalinidae
Suborder Notothenioidei
   Bovichthyidae
   Nototheniidae
   Harpagiferidae (plunderfishes)
   Bathydraconidae
   Channichthyidae (crocodile icefishes)
Suborder Trachinoidei
   Chiasmodontidae
   Champsodontidae
   Pholidichthyidae (convict blenny)
   Trichodontidae (sandfishes)
   Pinguipedidae (sandperches)
   Cheimarrhichthyidae
   Trichonotidae (sanddivers)
   Creediidae (sandburrowers)
   Percophidae (duckbills)
   Leptoscopidae
   Ammodytidae (sand lances)
   Trachinidae (weeverfishes)
   Uranoscopidae (stargazers)
Suborder Blennioidei
   Tripterygiidae
   Labrisomidae
   Clinidae
   Chaenopsidae
   Dactyloscopidae
   Blenniidae
Suborder Icosteoidei
   Icosteidae (ragfish)
Suborder Gobiesocoidei
   Gobiesocidae (clingfishes)
Suborder Callionymoidei
   Callionymidae
   Draconettidae
Suborder Gobioidei
   Rhyacichthyidae
   Odontobutidae
   Eleotridae
   Gobiidae
   Kraemeriidae
   Microdesmidae
Suborder Kurtoidei
   Kurtidae
Suborder Acanthuroidei
   Ephippidae
   Scatophagidae
   Siganidae
   Luvaridae
   Zanclidae
   Acanthuridae
Suborder Scombrolabracoidei
   Scombrolabracidae
Suborder Scombroidei
   Sphyraenidae (barracudas)
   Gempylidae
   Trichiuridae
   Scombridae (mackerels and tunas)
   Xiphiidae
Suborder Stromateoidei
   Amarsipidae
   Centrolophidae
   Nomeidae
   Ariommatidae
   Tetragonuridae
   Stromateidae
Suborder Anabantoidei
   Luciocephalidae
   Anabantidae
   Helostomatidae
   Belontiidae
   Osphronemidae
Suborder Channoidei
   Channidae (snakeheads)

The Perciformes, also called the Percomorphi or Acanthopteri, include about 40% of all fish and are the largest order of vertebrates. The name Perciformes means perch-like. They belong to the ray-finned fish and comprise over 7000 different species, with varying shapes and sizes, found in almost all aquatic environments. They first appeared and diversified in the late Cretaceous.

Perciform fish typically have dorsal and anal fins divided into anterior spiny and posterior soft-rayed portions, which may be partially or completely separated. There are usually pelvic fins with one spine and up to five soft rays, either positioned by the throat or under the belly. Scales are usually ctenoid in form, though sometimes they are cycloid or otherwise modified. Various other, more technical characters define the group.

Classification is controversial. As traditionally defined the Perciformes are almost certainly paraphyletic. Other orders that should possibly be included as suborders are the Scorpaeniformes, Tetraodontiformes, and Pleuronectiformes. Of the presently recognized suborders several may be paraphyletic as well.