List of chordate orders explained

This article contains a list of all of the classes and orders that are located in the Phylum Chordata.

Subphylum Cephalochordata

Class Leptocardii: Lancelets

• Order Amphioxiformes

Olfactores (unranked)

Subphylum Tunicata

Class Ascidiacea: Ascideans and sessile tunicates

• Order Enterogona
• Order Pleurogona
• Order Aspiraculata

Class Thaliacea: Pelagic tunicates

• Order Doliolida
• Order Pyrosomida
• Order Salpida: salps

Class Appendicularia: Solitary, free-swimming tunicates

• Order Copelata

Subphylum Vertebrates

Infraphylum Cyclostomata, Superclass Agnatha: Paraphyletic jawless vertebrates

Class Myxini: Hagfish

• Order Myxiniformes
  • • Family Myxinidae

Class Hyperoartia: Lampreys and their † kin

• Order Petromyzontiformes

Infraphylum Gnathostomata: Jawed vertebrates

See also: List of fish families.

Class Placodermi †

• Order Acanthothoraci
• Order Arthrodira
• Order Antiarchi
• Order Brindabellaspida
• Order Petalichthyida
• Order Phyllolepida
• Order Ptyctodontida
• Order Rhenanida
• Order Pseudopetalichthyida (The placement of this order is debated.)
• Order Stensioellida (The placement of this monotypic order is debated.)

Class Chondrichthyes: Cartilaginous fish

• Subclass Elasmobranchii
  • Superorder Batoidea
    • Order Rajiformes: rays and skates
    • Order Rhinopristiformes: sawfishes
    • Order Torpediniformes: electric rays
    • Order Myliobatiformes: (sting)rays
  • Superorder Selachimorpha (sharks)
    • Order Heterodontiformes: bullhead sharks
    • Order Orectolobiformes: carpet sharks
    • Order Carcharhiniformes: ground sharks
    • Order Lamniformes: mackerel sharks
    • Order Hexanchiformes: frilled and cow sharks
    • Order Squaliformes: dogfish sharks
    • Order Squatiniformes: angel sharks
    • Order Pristiophoriformes: saw sharks
• Subclass Holocephali
  • Order Chimaeriformes: chimaeras

Class Acanthodii †

• Order Climatiiformes
• Order Ischnacanthiformes
• Order Acanthodiformes

= Class Actinopterygii: Ray-finned fish

=

• Order Asarotiformes †
• Order Discordichthyiformes †
• Order Paphosisciformes †
• Order Scanilepiformes †
• Order Cheirolepidiformes †
• Order Paramblypteriformes †
• Order Rhadinichthyiformes †
• Order Palaeonisciformes †
• Order Tarrasiiformes †
• Order Pachycormiformes †
• Order Ptycholepiformes †
• Order Redfieldiiformes †
• Order Haplolepidiformes †
• Order Aeduelliformes †
• Order Platysomiformes †
• Order Dorypteriformes †
• Order Eurynotiformes †

Subclass Cladistii

• Order Polypteriformes

Subclass Chondrostei

• Order Acipenseriformes: sturgeons and paddlefishes

Subclass Neopterygii

• Infraclass Holostei
  • Order Lepisosteiformes, the gars
  • Order Amiiformes, the bowfins
• Infraclass Teleostei
• Superorder Osteoglossomorpha
  • Order Osteoglossiformes, the bony-tongued fishes
  • Order Hiodontiformes, including the mooneye and goldeye
  • Order Lycopteriformes
  • Order Ichthyodectiformes †
• Superorder Elopomorpha
  • Order Elopiformes, including the ladyfishes and tarpon
  • Order Albuliformes, the bonefishes
  • Order Notacanthiformes, including the halosaurs and spiny eels
  • Order Anguilliformes, the true eels and gulpers
  • Order Saccopharyngiformes, including the gulper eel
• Superorder Clupeomorpha
  • Order Clupeiformes, including herrings and anchovies
• Superorder Ostariophysi
  • Order Gonorynchiformes, including the milkfishes
  • Order Cypriniformes, including barbs, carp, danios, goldfishes, loaches, minnows, rasboras
  • Order Characiformes, including characins, pencilfishes, hatchetfishes, piranhas, tetras.
  • Order Gymnotiformes, including electric eels and knifefishes
  • Order Siluriformes, the catfishes
• Superorder Protacanthopterygii
  • Order Salmoniformes, including salmon and trout
  • Order Esociformes the pike
  • Order Osmeriformes, including the smelts and galaxiids
• Superorder Stenopterygii
  • Order Ateleopodiformes, the jellynose fish
  • Order Stomiiformes, including the bristlemouths and marine hatchetfishes
• Superorder Cyclosquamata
  • Order Aulopiformes, including the Bombay duck and lancetfishes
• Superorder Scopelomorpha
  • Order Myctophiformes, including the lanternfishes
• Superorder Lampridiomorpha
  • Order Lampriformes, including the oarfish, opah and ribbonfishes
• Superorder Polymyxiomorpha
  • Order Polymixiiformes, the beardfishes
• Superorder Paracanthopterygii
  • Order Percopsiformes, including the cavefishes and trout-perches
  • Order Batrachoidiformes, the toadfishes
  • Order Lophiiformes, including the anglerfishes
  • Order Gadiformes, including cods
  • Order Ophidiiformes, including the pearlfishes
• Superorder Acanthopterygii
  • Order Mugiliformes, the mullets
  • Order Atheriniformes, including silversides and rainbowfishes
  • Order Beloniformes, including the flyingfishes
  • Order Cetomimiformes, the whalefishes
  • Order Cyprinodontiformes, including livebearers, killifishes
  • Order Stephanoberyciformes, including the ridgeheads
  • Order Beryciformes, including the fangtooths and pineconefishes
  • Order Zeiformes, including the dories
  • Order Gobiesociformes, the clingfishes^[1]
  • Order Gasterosteiformes including sticklebacks, pipefishes, seahorses
  • Order Syngnathiformes, including the seahorses and pipefishes^[2]
  • Order Synbranchiformes, including the swamp eels
  • Order Tetraodontiformes, including the filefishes and pufferfish
  • Order Pleuronectiformes, the flatfishes
  • Order Scorpaeniformes, including scorpionfishes and the sculpins
  • Order Perciformes 40% of all fish including anabantids, centrarchids (incl. bass and sunfish), cichlids, gobies, gouramis, mackerel, perches, scats, whiting, wrasses

= Class Sarcopterygii: Lobe-finned fish

=

• Subclass Actinistia (coelacanths)
  • Order Coelacanthiformes, the coelacanth
• Subclass Dipnoi (lungfish)
  • Order Ceratodontiformes
  • Order Lepidosireniformes

Superclass Tetrapoda

See also: List of tetrapod families.

= Class Amphibia: Amphibians

=

• Order Urodela or Caudata (salamanders)
• Order Anura (frogs and toads)
• Order Gymnophiona or Apoda (caecilians)

= Class Reptilia: Reptiles

=

• Subclass Diapsida
  • Infraclass Archosauromorpha
    • Superorder Crocodylomorpha
      • Order Crocodilia (Crocodilians)
    • Class Aves (Birds)
  • Infraclass Lepidosauromorpha
    • Superorder Lepidosauria
      • Order Rhynchocephalia (tuataras)
      • Order Squamata (lizards, snakes)
• Subclass Anapsida
  • Order Testudines (turtles and their kin)

= Class Aves: Birds

=

• Subclass Neornithes
• Infraclass Palaeognathae
  • Order Apterygiformes kiwis
  • Order Casuariiformes cassowaries and emu
  • Order Rheiformes rheas
  • Order Struthioniformes, ostriches
  • Order Tinamiformes, tinamous
• Infraclass Neognathae
  • Superorder Galloanserae (fowl)
    • Order Anseriformes, waterfowl
    • Order Galliformes, fowl
  • Superorder Neoaves
    • Order Sphenisciformes, penguins
    • Order Gaviiformes, loons
    • Order Podicipediformes, grebes
    • Order Procellariiformes, albatrosses, petrels, and allies
    • Order Pelecaniformes, pelicans and allies
    • Order Ciconiiformes, storks and allies
    • Order Phoenicopteriformes, flamingos
    • Order Accipitriformes, eagles, hawks and allies (taxonomists have traditionally placed these groups in the Falconiformes)
    • Order Falconiformes, falcons
    • Order Opisthocomiformes, hoatzin (this enigmatic bird was traditionally treated as a family within either the Galliformes or Cuculiformes)
    • Order Gruiformes, cranes and allies
    • Order Charadriiformes, plovers and allies
    • Order Pterocliformes, sandgrouse (this enigmatic group was traditionally treated as a family in any of three different orders: Charadriiformes, Ciconiiformes, and Columbiformes)
    • Order Columbiformes, doves and pigeons
    • Order Psittaciformes, parrots and allies
    • Order Cuculiformes, cuckoos
    • Order Strigiformes, owls
    • Order Caprimulgiformes, nightjars and allies
    • Order Apodiformes, swifts
    • Order Coliiformes, mousebirds
    • Order Trogoniformes, trogons
    • Order Coraciiformes, kingfishers
    • Order Piciformes, woodpeckers and allies
    • Order Passeriformes, passerines

= Class Mammalia: Mammals

=

• Subclass Prototheria
  • Order Monotremata, monotremes
• Subclass Theria
  • Infraclass Marsupialia
    • Order Didelphimorphia, opossums
    • Order Paucituberculata, rat opossums
    • Order Microbiotheria, monito del monte
    • Order Dasyuromorphia, marsupial carnivores
    • Order Peramelemorphia, marsupial omnivores
    • Order Notoryctemorphia, marsupial moles
    • Order Diprotodontia, marsupial herbivores; kangaroos, wallabies, possums and allies
  • Infraclass Eutheria
    • Magnorder Atlantogenata
      • Superorder Afrotheria
        • Grandorder Afrosoricida
          • Order Afrosoricida, tenrecs and golden moles
          • Order Macroscelidea, elephant shrews
          • Order Tubulidentata, aardvark
        • Grandorder Paenungulata
          • Order Hyracoidea, hyraxes
          • Mirorder Tethytheria
            • Order Proboscidea, elephants
            • Order Sirenia, manatees and dugongs
      • Superorder Xenarthra
        • Order Cingulata, armadillos
        • Order Pilosa, sloths and anteaters
    • Magnorder Boreoeutheria
      • Superorder Laurasiatheria
        • Order Eulipotyphla, hedgehogs, shrews, moles
        • Grandorder Ferungulata
          • Order Cetartiodactyla, cetaceans and even-toed ungulates
          • Clade Pegasoferae
            • Order Chiroptera, bats
            • Mirorder Zooamata
              • Order Perissodactyla, odd-toed ungulates; horses, rhinos, tapirs
              • Clade Ferae
                • Order Pholidota, pangolins
                • Order Carnivora, carnivores; cats, dogs, bears, seals, sea lions and others
                • Order †Creodonta hyaenodontidae hyeanodon, dissopsalis, sarkastostodon, and megistotherium.
      • Superorder Euarchontoglires
        • Grandorder Euarchonta
          • Mirorder Sundatheria
            • Order Dermoptera, colugos
            • Order Scandentia, treeshrews
          • Mirorder Primatomorpha
            • Order Primates, lemurs, monkeys, apes and allies
        • Grandorder Glires
          • Order Rodentia, rodents
          • Order Lagomorpha, rabbits, hares and pikas

References

1. In ITIS, Gobiesociformes is placed as the suborder Gobiesocoidei of the order Perciformes.
2. In Nelson and ITIS, Syngnathiformes is placed as the suborder Syngnathoidei of the order Gasterosteiformes.