Salmoniformes
| Salmoniformes Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
| Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) | |
| Muskellunge (Esox masquinony) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Superorder: | Protacanthopterygii |
| Order: | Salmoniformes Bleeker, 1859 |
| Families | |
Salmoniformes (/sælˈmɒnɪfɔːrmiːz/, lit. "salmon-shaped") is an order of ray-finned fishes native to the temperate and subarctic Northern Hemisphere. It contains two suborders: Salmonoidei (containing only the Salmonidae) and Esocoidei (containing pikes and mudminnows). In addition, potential fossil members of the group, dating back to the Late Cretaceous, are also known from Europe and Africa. Both large-sized members of this order (Salmonidae and Esocidae) are important food and sport fish of the Northern Hemisphere.