Characiformes
| Characiformes Temporal range:  Possible Cenomanian occurrence | |
|---|---|
| Diversity of American characiforms from the Uberaba River basin | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota | 
| Kingdom: | Animalia | 
| Phylum: | Chordata | 
| Class: | Actinopterygii | 
| (unranked): | Otophysi | 
| Order: | Characiformes Regan, 1911 | 
| Type species | |
| Charax gibbosus | |
| Suborders | |
Characiformes /ˈkærəsɪfɔːrmiːz/ is an order of ray-finned fish, comprising the characins and their allies. Grouped in 18 recognized families, more than 2000 different species are described, including the well-known piranha and tetras.