Taxon Description (Wikipedia)
The
Perciformes, also called the
Percomorphi or
Acanthopteri, is the largest order of vertebrates, containing about 40% of all bony fish.
Perciformes means
perch-like. They belong to the class of ray-finned fish and comprise over 7,000 species found in almost all aquatic environments. They are also the most variably sized order of vertebrates, ranging from the
Schindleria brevipinguis to the
Makaira species. They first appeared and diversified in the Late Cretaceous.
Among well-known members of this group are cichlids, sunfish/bluegill, damselfish, bass, and of course perch.
full article at Wikipedia
