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Marine fishs

Marine fishs refers to fish that live in the ocean. They are particularly colorful and have strange shapes. They are the future development direction of the ornamental fish industry. Artificial breeding requires certain methods and skills. There are more than 2,000 species of marine fish in my country, including large yellow croaker, giant grouper, salmon, etc. Fish meat is rich in animal protein and phosphorus, rich in nutrition, delicious, easy to digest and absorb by the human body, and plays a significant role in the development of human physical and intellectual strength.

I. Introduction to Marine Fishes

1. Definition and Key Traits

  • Habitat: Marine fishes (i.e., those living in saltwater habitats) occupy diverse marine ecosystems from coastal intertidal zones and coral reefs to pelagic and deep-sea environments.

  • Osmoregulation: Because seawater is high in salinity, marine fishes maintain internal ionic balance by regulating water and salt through their gills, kidneys, and skin.

  • Morphological Diversity: They vary enormously in form, size, and coloration, from giant sharks to vividly colored reef fish, or flatfish adapted to life on the seabed.

2. Main Groups

  • Cartilaginous Fishes (Class Chondrichthyes): Includes sharks, rays, skates, and sawfishes, characterized by skeletons made primarily of cartilage and a covering of dermal denticles (placoid scales).

  • Bony Fishes (Class Osteichthyes): Specifically the subclass Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes), which make up the majority of marine fish species, such as cod, tunas, groupers, wrasses, flatfishes, etc.

3. Ecological Value and Human Use

  • Marine fishes occupy various trophic levels: from bottom-feeders and herbivorous grazers to apex predators, each playing a vital role in marine food webs.

  • Humans exploit marine fishes for food (fisheries, fish oil, and fishmeal) as well as for aquariums and ornamental trade. Overfishing, pollution, and climate change, however, threaten many populations, prompting calls for conservation and sustainable management.


II. History and Evolution of Marine Fishes

  1. Origins and Early Evolution

  • The earliest jawed vertebrates date back to the Silurian–Devonian periods (about 440–400 million years ago), gradually diverging into the cartilaginous and bony fish lineages.

  • Cartilaginous fishes emerged in the Devonian (e.g., early sharks), evolving along the “shark–ray” lineage that persists today.

  • Bony fishes diversified significantly in the Carboniferous and Permian, with ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii) becoming the most numerous and widespread group of extant fishes.

  1. Marine Expansion and Multiple Radiations

  • Shifting sea levels, climates, and ocean currents across geological epochs opened new habitats for marine fish expansions.

  • The development of coral reefs spurred adaptive radiation among “reef fish,” promoting diverse forms and colorations.

  • Coldwater environments allowed groups like the codfishes (Gadiformes) to thrive, while the deep sea is home to specialized species like anglerfishes and scorpionfishes.

  1. Modern Oceans

  • Through the Cenozoic Era, marine fishes continued to evolve into today’s tens of thousands of species.

  • Anthropogenic pressures (overfishing, habitat destruction) affect their population dynamics and have led to the need for marine conservation and regulated fisheries.


III. Major Orders and Families of Marine Fishes

Below is a simplified classification of marine fishes, divided into cartilaginous fishes and bony fishes, highlighting common or notable orders, families, and representative genera/species. Due to the vast number of species, only a selection of typical groups is provided.

A. Cartilaginous Fishes (Class Chondrichthyes)

OrderFamilyRepresentative GenusExample SpeciesDistribution & Notes
Lamniformes (Mackerel Sharks)Lamnidae (Mackerel Shark Family)Carcharodon (White Shark), Isurus (Mako Shark)Great White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias), Shortfin Mako (Isurus oxyrinchus)Large, open-ocean apex predators, partial endothermy (regional warm-bloodedness).

Alopiidae (Thresher Sharks)Alopias (Thresher Sharks)Common Thresher Shark (Alopias vulpinus)Known for using their elongated tail to stun prey; found in warmer oceans worldwide.
Carcharhiniformes (Ground Sharks)Carcharhinidae (Requiem Sharks)Carcharhinus, Galeocerdo (Tiger Shark)Grey Reef Shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos), Tiger Shark (Galeocerdo cuvier)Diverse coastal sharks; some species pose risks to humans.

Triakidae (Houndsharks)Mustelus (Smooth-hounds)Spotted Gully Shark (Mustelus manazo)Typically found on continental shelves; small to medium-sized coastal sharks.
Myliobatiformes (Rays)Mobulidae (Manta & Devil Rays)Manta, MobulaGiant Manta Ray (Manta birostris), Devil Ray (Mobula mobular)Enormous “wingspan” (several meters), filter plankton feeders, graceful swimmers.

Dasyatidae (Stingrays)Dasyatis (Stingrays)Red Stingray (Dasyatis akajei), etc.Bottom-dwellers with barbed tails, common in tropical & temperate coastal seas.
Heterodontiformes (Bullhead Sharks)Heterodontidae (Bullhead/Horn Sharks)HeterodontusJapanese Bullhead Shark (Heterodontus japonicus), etc.Small, benthic sharks with specialized dentition for crushing hard-shelled prey.

(Further cartilaginous fish orders, e.g., other Batoid rays and sawfish, are not all listed here.)


B. Bony Fishes – Ray-Finned Fishes (Subclass Actinopterygii)

OrderFamilyRepresentative GenusExample SpeciesDistribution & Notes
Clupeiformes (Herrings)Clupeidae (Herrings, Sardines)Sardinella, Clupea (Herrings)Pacific Sardine (Sardinops sagax), Atlantic Herring (Clupea harengus)Filter feeders of plankton; often form large migratory schools; key commercial fisheries.
Salmoniformes (Salmons)Salmonidae (Salmon, Trout)*some diadromousOncorhynchus (Pacific Salmon), Salmo (Atlantic Salmon)Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar)Many spawn in freshwater but grow in the ocean; extremely important for commercial and recreational fishing.
Gadiformes (Codfishes)Gadidae (Cods)Gadus (True Cods), Theragra (Pollocks)Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua), Alaska Pollock (Theragra chalcogramma)Common in cold or temperate seas; important demersal fish resources.
Perciformes (Perch-like)Serranidae (Groupers/Sea Basses)Epinephelus, CephalopholisTiger Grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus), Coral Grouper (Cephalopholis miniata)Reef-associated predators, high food value; includes large species known as groupers.

Scombridae (Tunas, Mackerels)Thunnus (Tunas), Scomber (Mackerels)Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus albacares), Atlantic Mackerel (Scomber scombrus)Highly migratory, fast-swimming open-ocean fishes; major global fishery species.

Labridae (Wrasses)Cheilinus, ThalassomaHumphead Wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus), Moon Wrasse (Thalassoma lunare)Reef fishes notable for bright colors; some (e.g., Humphead) grow large and have significant ecological roles.

Serranidae (some groupers/seabasses)*overlapsChromileptes (Panther Grouper)Humpback Grouper (Cromileptes altivelis)Taxonomic debate; large benthic predators; widely referred to as “groupers.”
Pleuronectiformes (Flatfishes)Pleuronectidae, Soleidae (Flounders, Soles)Pleuronectes, Solea, etc.Turbot (Scophthalmus maximus), Tonguefishes (Cynoglossus spp.)Laterally flattened, both eyes on one side, benthic lifestyle in coastal or shelf habitats.
Tetraodontiformes (Puffers, Mola)Tetraodontidae (Puffers), Molidae (Molafish)Arothron, Takifugu (Puffer), Mola (Ocean Sunfish)Tiger Puffer (Takifugu rubripes), Ocean Sunfish (Mola mola)Often have tough skin or spines, bizarre shapes (puffers inflate themselves, sunfish have disc-like bodies).
Syngnathiformes (Pipefishes, Seahorses)Syngnathidae (Pipefishes, Seahorses)Hippocampus (Seahorses), Syngnathus (Pipefish)Kellogg’s Seahorse (Hippocampus kelloggi), etc.Unique male brood pouch for incubation; many species with camouflage capabilities and prehensile tails.

(Additional groups include reef fishes like butterflyfishes (Chaetodontidae), damselfishes (Pomacentridae), scorpionfishes (Scorpaenidae), etc.)


IV. Conclusion

  1. Multiple Evolutionary Origins, Vast Diversity

    • Marine fishes encompass multiple lineages (e.g., sharks, rays, and numerous bony fish orders). Over hundreds of millions of years, they have undergone repeated radiations in the oceans, driven by environmental changes and niche opportunities.

    • Varied conditions (temperature, depth, light, and salinity) in the oceans have produced extreme morphological, ecological, and behavioral diversity.

  2. Ecological and Human Importance

    • From apex predators like sharks to reef grazers and shoaling mid-level consumers, marine fishes maintain ecosystem balance.

    • Fisheries provide food, fish oil, and fishmeal; aquarium trades and dive tourism highlight their aesthetic and economic value. Sustainable fisheries management and habitat protection are critical for their long-term survival.

  3. Conservation Challenges

    • Overfishing has drastically reduced populations of many high-value species (e.g., tunas, groupers, sharks).

    • Climate change is altering sea temperatures and acidification levels, while reef degradation impacts myriad reef fishes.

    • Establishing quotas, marine protected areas, and international cooperation are vital to ensuring marine fish resources and ecosystems remain healthy.


Through the above introduction and classification list, you can have a deeper understanding of the diverse distribution and evolution of marine fish in modern animal systems, and also understand the status and conservation challenges of marine fish in marine ecology and human society. If you need to further refine to specific families, genera and species (including morphological characteristics, distribution range and protection status, etc.), you can refer to professional fishery or marine biology literature, regional marine fish atlases and the latest academic papers. I hope this information can present you with a detailed "Marine Fish Classification Encyclopedia".

Marine fishs Freshwater fish Cypriniformes Siluriformes
Pleuronectiformes

Pleuronectiformes

Pleuronectiformes,heterosomata,flounder

Features:

Flounder is a general term for fishes of the order Plaice. It has no swim bladder and feeds on worms, crustaceans and other animals. Taxonomically it belongs to the class Actinopterygii, Pleuronichthys. The flatfish has a flat body with eyes that grow on only one side of the body, a unique asymmetri...

Tetraodontidae

Tetraodontidae

Tetraodontidae,pufferfish、puffers,Pufferfish, boatfish, pufferfish, good fish, chicken, turtle fish

Features:When angry, it turns into a balloon. It is the most poisonous fish.

Pufferfish (scientific name Tetraodontidae) is also known as pufferfish or puffers in foreign languages. Because of its "pig-like" appearance and its frequent activities in river estuaries, it is commonly known as pufferfish in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, while it is called Dingba in Shandong, L...

Eleginus gracilis

Eleginus gracilis

Eleginus gracilis,cod, bighead cod, bighead fish, bighead fish, pollack

Features:Known as "gold in the sea" and "nutritionist on the table" in Europe

The scientific name of cod is Eleginus gracilis. It is a kind of deep-sea fish and one of the economic edible fish. There are 9 species, namely: silver cod, Pacific cod, Atlantic cod, haddock, blue cod, green cod, haddock, Norwegian cod, and pollock.Cod is a cold-water fish in the middle and lower l...

Psychrolutes marcidus

Psychrolutes marcidus

Psychrolutes marcidus,Blobfish,Sad fish, soft-spined sculpin, popper fish

Features:The saddest fish in the world

The Latin name of the blobfish is Psychrolutes marcidus, and its foreign name is Blobfish. It is also known as the sad fish, soft hidden sculpin fish, and popper fish. Because it has a sad face, it is called the "sadest expression fish in the world".In order to protect endangered ugly anim...

Danionella dracula

Danionella dracula

Danionella dracula,Toothpick fish

Features:It is named after the vampire in European legend.

The scientific name of the vampire fish is "Danionella dracula", a small carp found in Myanmar. It is estimated that it has been bred on Earth for nearly 100 million years. Because of its sharp teeth and terrifying appearance, it is similar to the vampire in European legends, so it is nick...

Mitsukurinidae owstoni

Mitsukurinidae owstoni

Mitsukurinidae owstoni,Goblin shark, Goblin shark, Goblin shark

Features:The snout protrudes forward to form a sharp protrusion, which will explode

Owstoni's sharpnose shark (scientific name: Mitsukurinidae owstoni), also known as Owstoni's sharpnose shark, Owstoni's sharpnose shark, sharpnose shark, goblin shark (goblin is an ugly monster in Western folklore that likes to play pranks), is the only species under the family of sharpn...

Lophiomus setigerus

Lophiomus setigerus

Lophiomus setigerus,black-mouth goosefish,Blackmouth anglerfish, stutter fish, anglerfish, toadfish, old man fish

Features:Very similar to the yellow anglerfish, but smaller than the yellow anglerfish

The Latin name of black anglerfish is Lophiomus setigerus (Vahl, 1797), and its foreign name is black-mouth goosefish. There are only two kinds of anglerfish in China, one is called yellow anglerfish and the other is black anglerfish.It grows in the depths of the dark sea, moves slowly, and does not...

Lophius litulon

Lophius litulon

Lophius litulon,Toadfish, stutterfish, sea turtle

Features:Looks indulgent, swims slowly, comes with its own fishing rod

Yellow anglerfish, whose scientific name is Lophius litulon, is a deep-sea benthic fish.Yellow anglerfish usually lures prey with its snout tentacles and bait balls, sucks the prey in one gulp, and feeds on fish and crustaceans. The main prey of yellow anglerfish in the southern Yellow Sea are small...

Cheilinus undulatus

Cheilinus undulatus

Cheilinus undulatus,Giant Wrasse,Napoleon wrasse, wavy parrotfish, curved lip fish, Napoleon bream, dragon king bream, sea bream, big piece

Features:It is a high-end edible fish and the largest coral fish in existence. It has a unique appearance and is therefore also a high-end ornamental fish.

Cheilinus undulatus (scientific name: Giant Wrasse) is a large wrasse with no subspecies.Cheilinus undulatus is usually solitary, but may sometimes appear in pairs. Adult fish cruise between reefs during the day and live in reef caves and under coral shelves at night. Although the rippled lip fish i...

Bahaba taipingensis

Bahaba taipingensis

Bahaba taipingensis,Chinese Bahaba,Golden money sturgeon, golden money croaker, golden money fierce fish, fish high, big gull, white flower fish, yellow sweet

Features:The tail peduncle is slender, the snout is prominent, the dorsal side of the body is gray-brown with orange-yellow, and the ventral side is gray-white

Chinese Bahaba (scientific name: Bahaba taipingensis) is called Chinese Bahaba in foreign language. It has no subspecies and belongs to the family Sciaenidae and the genus Bahaba.Chinese Bahaba gathers in clear water and disperses in turbid water. Juvenile fish live in estuaries and nearby coasts. D...

Dwarf Seahorse

Dwarf Seahorse

Hippocampus zosterae,Dwarf Seahorse

Features:The small seahorse is one of the most popular seahorses in the aquarium trade, and once ranked second in the top ten fish exported from the aquarium trade in Florida (Wood 2001).

The dwarf seahorse is the smallest of the Syngnathidae and Hippocampus.The diet of the dwarf seahorse consists of live prey, including small crustaceans such as amphipods, shrimps, other small invertebrates and fish fry. When foraging, they sit in a position secured by their tails and wait for prey...

White’s seahorse

White’s seahorse

Hippocampus whitei,White’s seahorse

Features:In ancient Greek mythology, the hippocampus was the mount of Poseidon, the god of the sea.

White’s seahorse is a species of Syngnathidae in the order Acanthopterygii of the class Actinopterygii.White’s seahorse is carnivorous, feeds on small crustaceans, and is ovoviviparous.The reproduction method of the White Seahorse is very special. First of all, the reproduction of the White Seahor...

Hippocampus waleananus

Hippocampus waleananus

Hippocampus waleananus,Wari Island Dwarf Seahorse

Features:Named after the Indonesian island of Wari where it was discovered

Warren's pygmy seahorse, Hippocampus waleananus (M. F. Gomon et Kuiter, 2009), is an animal of the genus Hippocampus in the family Syngnathidae.The genus Warren's pygmy seahorse is carnivorous, feeding on small crustaceans and giving birth to live young. The seahorse was first described in 2...

Hedgehog Seahorse

Hedgehog Seahorse

Hedgehog Seahorse,Hippocampus spinosissimus

Features:The spiny seahorse is a small fish that can be used for academic research and aquarium viewing, and can also be made into a Chinese medicine.

Hedgehog Seahorse is a fish of the Syngnathidae family and the genus Hippocampus.Hedgehog Seahorse mainly feeds on small crustaceans and other planktonic invertebrates. Hedgehog Seahorse is oviparous. During reproduction, the female uses an ovipositor to transfer the eggs to a brood pouch under the...

Hippocampus sindonis

Hippocampus sindonis

Hippocampus sindonis,Sindo's Seahorse,Moss Seahorse,hana tatsu

Features:The colors vary, and each ring has a tumor or thorn

The Latin scientific name of the flower seahorse Hippocampus sindonis, and the English name Sindo's Seahorse comes from the name of M. Sindo, the assistant curator of fish at Stanford University, and was coined by Kuiter in 2009. The Japanese name hana tatsu literally means hana (flower or flowe...

Japanese Seahorse

Japanese Seahorse

Hippocampus mohnikei,Japanese Seahorse

Features:The body is very small, flattened laterally, with a protruding abdomen and a well-developed dorsal fin.

Japanese Seahorse is called Japanese Seahorse in English. It is an animal of the Syngnathidae family and the genus Hippocampus.The Japanese seahorse is a warm-temperate fish that prefers to live in coastal areas with gravel bottoms. It is commonly found in seaweed patches from mid-tide to low-tide a...

Hippocampus kuda

Hippocampus kuda

Hippocampus kuda,Spotted Seahorse,Kuda Seahorse

Features:The seahorse is the largest and most valuable species of seahorse, and is also one of the finest species for artificial breeding.

Hippocampus kuda (scientific name: Hippocampus kuda), also known as Spotted Seahorse in foreign language, is an animal of Syngnathidae and genus Hippocampus.Pipe seahorses often live in coastal bays, ports and lagoons, sandy sediments in rocky coastal areas, large algae and seagrass beds, mangroves,...

Hippocampus kelloggi

Hippocampus kelloggi

Hippocampus kelloggi,Kelloggi'sseahorse,Seahorse, Grimm's seahorse, Ryukyu seahorse, seahorse

Features:The male fish has a brood pouch on the ventral surface of the tail, and its body is dark gray or light yellow, with irregular white linear spots or stripes on the sides of the body.

Kelloggi's seahorse (scientific name: Hippocampus kelloggi), foreign name Kelloggi's seahorse, is a Syngnathidae, Hippocampus.Kelloggi's seahorse is a warm-water fish near the coast. They like to live on the seabed gravels or algae in coastal areas and inner bays, where there is little f...

Hippocampus jayakari

Hippocampus jayakari

Hippocampus jayakari

Features:Greedy, males have pouches

Jia's seahorse, Latin name Hippocampus jayakari, is a species of Syngnathidae in the order Acanthopterygii of the class Actinopterygii.Although it looks gentle, the Chiari seahorse is a voracious carnivore that eats any animal it can swallow, mainly small crustaceans, fish and other invertebrate...

Hippocampus histrix

Hippocampus histrix

Hippocampus histrix,Thorny Seahorse,Seahorse

Features:The body spines and head spines are sharp and particularly developed

Thorny Seahorse (scientific name: Hippocampus histrix) is a member of the Syngnathidae family and the genus Hippocampus. It is a warm-water fish that lives in coastal waters. It inhabits low-tide areas with clear water and lush algae in coastal bays.The spiny seahorse wraps its curled tail around Zo...

Short-snouted Seahorse

Short-snouted Seahorse

Short-snouted Seahorse,Hippocampus hippocampus

Features:Usually brown, orange, purple or black, with a narrow crown and low spines

European seahorse, also known as Short-snouted Seahorse, is a member of the Syngnathidae family and the genus Hippocampus.Most European seahorses live in algae in shallow coastal waters. They can spend the winter in deeper waters. They mainly feed on small prey and organic debris. Their mimicry allo...