Tetraodontiformes Temporal range: Cenomanian record
Possible | |
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Representatives of the 10 extant Tetraodontiformes families: a Triacanthodidae, Triacanthodes anomalus; b Triacanthidae, Triacanthus biaculeatus; c Balistidae, Abalistes filamentosus; d Monacanthidae, Thamnaconus hypargyreus; e Aracanidae, Kentrocapros aculeatus; f Ostraciidae, Ostracion immaculatus; g Triodontidae Triodon macropterus; h Tetraodontidae, Arothron mappa; i Diodontidae, Diodon liturosus; j Molidae, Masturus lanceolatus | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Clade: | Percomorpha |
Order: | Tetraodontiformes L. S. Berg, 1940 |
Type species | |
Tetraodon lineatus | |
Suborders and Families | |
See text. |
Tetraodontiformes (/tɛtrə.ɒˈdɒntɪfɔːrmiːz/), also known as the Plectognathi, is an order of ray-finned fishes which includes the pufferfishes and related taxa. This order has been classified as a suborder of the order Perciformes, although recent studies have found that it, as the Tetraodontoidei, is a sister taxon to the anglerfish order Lophiiformes, called Lophiodei, and have placed both taxa within the Acanthuriformes. The Tetraodontiformes are represented by 10 extant families and at around 430 species overall. The majority of the species within this order are marine but a few may be found in freshwater. They are found throughout the world.