Acanthuriformes

Acanthuriformes
Temporal range:
Brown meagre (Sciaena umbra)
Ctenochaetus tominiensis
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Clade: Percomorpha
Clade: Eupercaria
Order: Acanthuriformes
Jordan, 1923
Families

See text

Synonyms
  • Chaetodontiformes
  • Caproiformes
  • Ephippiformes
  • Lobotiformes
  • Lutjaniformes
  • Moroniformes
  • Priacanthiformes
  • Spariformes
  • Acanthuroidei Greenwood et al, 1966

Acanthuriformes is a large, diverse order of mostly marine ray-finned fishes, part of the Percomorpha clade. In the past, members of this clade were placed in the suborders Acanthuroidea and Percoidea of the order Perciformes, but this treatment is now considered paraphyletic.

This order contains many of the iconic tropical reef fish groups, such as surgeonfish, marine angelfish, butterflyfish, rabbitfish, grunts, and snappers. It also contains widespread, economically important food and sport fishes, such as drums, temperate basses, and porgies. The only pelagic member of the group is the louvar.