Fish Fossils Taxonomy


Phylum Chordata, Subphylum Vertebrata

Fish are classified into the following major groups:

Class Myxini (hagfish)

Class Pteraspidomorphi † (early jawless fish)

Class Thelodonti †

Class Anaspida †

Class Petromyzontida or Hyperoartia

Petromyzontidae (lampreys)

Class Conodonta (conodonts) †

Class Cephalaspidomorphi † (early jawless fish)

(unranked) Galeaspida †
(unranked) Pituriaspida †
(unranked) Osteostraci †

Infraphylum Gnathostomata (jawed vertebrates)

Class Placodermi † (armoured fish)
Class Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish)
Class Acanthodii † (spiny sharks)

Superclass Osteichthyes (bony fish)

Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fish)

Subclass Chondrostei

Order Acipenseriformes (sturgeons and paddlefishes)
Order Polypteriformes (reedfishes and bichirs)

Subclass Neopterygii

Infraclass Holostei (gars and bowfins)
Infraclass Teleostei (many orders of common fish)

Class Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned fish)

Subclass Coelacanthimorpha (coelacanths)
Subclass Dipnoi (lungfish)

 

† - indicates extinct taxon

Examples of fish fossils:
       


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