Salmoniformes

Salmoniformes (Template:IPAc-en, lit. "salmon-shaped") is an order of ray-finned fishes native to the temperate and subarctic Northern Hemisphere.<ref name=":1322">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It contains two suborders: Salmonoidei (containing only the Salmonidae) and Esocoidei (containing pikes and mudminnows).<ref name=":1322" /> In addition, potential fossil members of the group, dating back to the Late Cretaceous, are also known from Europe and Africa.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite journal</ref> Both large-sized members of this order (Salmonidae and Esocidae) are important food and sport fish of the Northern Hemisphere.

Taxonomy

The relationship between salmons, pikes, and mudminnows has long been well-attested based on phylogenetic and morphological studies, and all three groups were long placed in the Salmoniformes.<ref name=":2">Template:Cite journal</ref> In the early 21st century, pikes and mudminnows were split from the Salmoniformes and placed into their own order, Esociformes.<ref name=":3">Template:Cite journal</ref> However, as recent studies have reaffirmed their close relationship, more recent taxonomic authorities again place the Esociformes as a group within the Salmoniformes (Esocoidei).<ref name=":1322" /><ref name=":0" />

The following classification is based on Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes:<ref name=":1322" />

• Order Salmoniformes
  • Suborder Esocoidei
    • Family Esocidae Rafinesque, 1815 - pikes
      • Subfamily Dalliinae Jordan, 1885 - blackfishes
      • Subfamily Esocinae Rafinesque, 1815 - pikes
    • Family Umbridae Bonaparte, 1845 - mudminnows
  • Suborder Salmonoidei
    • Family Salmonidae Cuvier, 1816
      • Subfamily Coregoninae Bonaparte, 1845
      • Subfamily Thymallinae Gill, 1885
      • Subfamily Salmoninae Cuvier, 1816

The following fossil taxa are also considered much more basal members of this order:<ref name=":0" />

• †Barcarenichthys Gayet, 1989 (Cenomanian of Portugal)
• †Kermichthys Taverne, 1992 (Cenomanian of Morocco)<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
• †Pyrenichthys Gayet & Lepicard, 1985 (Maastrichtian of France)<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
• ?†Stompooria Anderson, 1998 (potentially a galaxiiform)<ref name=":1">Template:Cite journal</ref> (Maastrichtian of South Africa)

Indeterminate potential salmoniform remains are known from Santonian-aged freshwater deposits of Hungary.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

In the past, other euteleost fish such as the smelts or tubeshoulders were also placed within this order,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> but such a placement is now known to be inaccurate.<ref name=":1322" /> Phylogenetic studies generally recover either the Argentiniformes or the Galaxiiformes as the closest relatives of the Salmoniformes.<ref name=":1322" /><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" />