Superorder OSTARIOPHYSI

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Introduction

Members of the superorder Ostariophysi are largely freshwater species found in Africa, the New World and Asia. The purely freshwater families are not native to Australia, but the few families with marine representatives, such as catfishes, are well represented here. The superorder contains five orders, 68 families and about 7,931 species (Nelson 2006). Native Australian species, represent two orders, Gonorhynchiformes and Siluriformes. Also a number of fishes from this superorder, including carp, have been introduced into Australian fresh waters — mainly representatives of one order, Cypriniformes. A few representatives of the orders Characiformes and Gymnotiformes (such as the electric eel), however, are sometimes available in the aquarium trade or are on display in public aquaria.

General References

Nelson, J.S. 2006. Fishes of the World. Hoboken, New Jersey : John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 601 pp.

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