Order PERCIFORMES

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Introduction

Perciformes is the largest order of fishes. The classification here follows Nelson (1994), who recognised 18 suborders and 148 families, with over 9,000 species. Nelson (2006) presented a slightly different classification recognising 20 suborders and 160 families with over 10,033 species. The main change affecting the Australian fauna is the move of Caproidae from Zeiformes to suborder Caproidei in the Perciformes. Relationships of the group are poorly known though, and the move to Perciformes is tentative. Differences in that work at the family level are noted under the appropriate families. Johnson & Patterson (1993) suggested that the order as recognised here may not be monophyletic. Johnson (1993) reviewed earlier work on the classification of the group.

General References

Johnson, G.D. 1993. Percomorph phylogeny: progress and problems. Bulletin of Marine Science 52(1): 3-28

Johnson, G.D. & Patterson, C. 1993. Percomorph phylogeny: a survey of acanthomorphs and a new proposal. Bulletin of Marine Science 52(1): 554-626

Nelson, J.S. 1994. Fishes of the World. New York : John Wiley & Sons 600 pp.

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

History of changes