Atheriniformes

The Atheriniformes, also known as the silversides, are an order of ray-finned fishes that includes the Old World silversides, the Neotropical silversides, and several less-familiar families. The only prehistoric silverside is Palaeoatherina. You can find them in tropical and temperate marine and freshwater environments.

Boeseman's rainbowfish, Melanotaenia boesemani, red variety

Taxonomy

Nelson 2016 classifies the families as follows:

• Order Atheriniformes
  • Suborder Atherinopsoidei
    • Family Atherinopsidae (New World silversides)
    • Family Notocheiridae (Surf silverside)
  • Suborder Atherinoidei
    • Family Isonidae (Surf sardines)
    • Family Melanotaeniidae (Rainbowfishes and blue eyes)
    • Family Atherionidae (Pricklenose silversides)
    • Family Dentatherinidae (Mercer's tusked silverside)
    • Family Phallostethidae (Priapium fishes)
    • Family Atherinidae (Old World silversides)

Related pages

• Palaeoatherina

References

1. Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Atherina". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 16 July 2019.