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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
Hippocampus reidi

Hippocampus reidi

Hippocampus reidi,Long-snout Seahorse、Slender Seahorse、Slender seahorse,Blunt seahorse, long snout seahorse

Features:The snout seahorse is one of the most widely kept seahorse species in public aquariums and one of the most popular seahorses in the international aquarium trade.

Long-snout Seahorse (scientific name: Hippocampus reidi), also known as Long-snout Seahorse, Slender Seahorse, Slender seahorse, is a fish of the Syngnathidae family and the genus Hippocampus.Long-snout Seahorse (scientific name: Hippocampus reidi), also known as Long-snout Seahorse, Slender Seahors...

Denise's Pygmy Seahorse

Denise's Pygmy Seahorse

Denise's Pygmy Seahorse,Hippocampus denise

Features:The body is pure orange or orange, with a short beak and a tail of prehensile length.

Denise's Pygmy Seahorse, also known as Denise's Pygmy Seahorse in English, is a fish of the Syngnathidae family and the genus Hippocampus.The Dennis pygmy seahorse was discovered in Indonesia by Sara Lourie, a graduate student at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, and co-authored with Dr...

High-crowned Seahorse

High-crowned Seahorse

High-crowned Seahorse

Features:The crowned seahorse has a unique body shape, swimming posture and reproduction, and is an ornamental fish.

High-crowned Seahorse is an animal of the Syngnathidae family and the genus Hippocampus.The scientific name of the crowned seahorse, "Hippocampus coronatus", was often used as a synonym for the flower seahorse (Hippocampus sindonis) in the past. However, morphometric and genetic studies ha...

Hippocampus comes

Hippocampus comes

Hippocampus comes,Tiger tail seahorse

Features:Only one partner in life

Tiger tail seahorse, Latin name Hippocampus comes, foreign name Tiger tail seahorse, is one of the species of Syngnathidae in the order Acanthopterygii of the class Actinopterygii.Tiger tail seahorses usually appear in pairs, are carnivorous, feed on small crustaceans, are nocturnal, and can be used...

Hippocampus bargibanti

Hippocampus bargibanti

Hippocampus bargibanti,Bargibant's Seahorse、Gorgonian Seahorse、Pygmy Seahorse,Pygmy seahorse, Bartholin's seahorse

Features:Has excellent camouflage ability

Bargibant's Seahorse (scientific name: Hippocampus bargibanti), also known as Bargibant's Seahorse, Gorgonian Seahorse, Pygmy Seahorse in foreign languages, is an animal of the Syngnathidae family and the genus Hippocampus.Georges Bargibant, who works at an aquarium in New Riolidonia, Oceani...

Hippocampus trimaculatus

Hippocampus trimaculatus

Hippocampus trimaculatus,Three-spot Seahorse、Flat-faced Seahorse、Longnose Seahorse,Three-spotted seahorse

Features:Laterally flattened, with a protruding abdomen, a seven-sided trunk, and a four-sided tail.

The spotted seahorse (scientific name: Hippocampus trimaculatus), also known as Three-spot Seahorse, Flat-faced Seahorse, Longnose Seahorse, is an animal of the Syngnathidae family and the genus Hippocampus.The spotted seahorse has strong reproductive capacity and grows rapidly. It lives in shallow...

Hippocampus abdominalis

Hippocampus abdominalis

Hippocampus abdominalis

Features:With a round belly, it is the largest of all known seahorses.

The Latin name of the big-bellied seahorse is c (Lesson, 1827), also known as the puffy-bellied seahorse, which is one of the species of the genus Hippocampus in the order Acanthopterygii of the class Actinopterygii and the family Syngnathidae. It is the largest of all known seahorses.The big-bellie...

Oncorhynchus masou

Oncorhynchus masou

Oncorhynchus masou,Montso salmon,Chimon salmon, etc.

Features:It is a precious economic fish with delicate and delicious meat, and is deeply loved by the people.

Masu salmon, whose Latin name is Oncorhynchus masou, is the southernmost migratory species of the genus Oncorhynchus in my country, with a southern limit of 35 degrees north latitude. It has a high adaptability to temperature and is one of the inland domestication targets.The Masu salmon is a migrat...

Dasyatis bennettii

Dasyatis bennettii

Dasyatis bennettii,Bennett's Stingray,Bennett's stingray

Features:It is a bottom-dwelling fish, closely related to sharks.

The yellow stingray's Latin name is Dasyatis bennettii, and its foreign name is Bennett's Stingray. It is a fish of the family Stingray and the genus Stingray.The yellow stingray (Dasyatis bennettii) was first described in 1841 by German ichthyologist and physiologist Johannes Peter Müller...

Carcharodon carcharias

Carcharodon carcharias

Carcharodon carcharias,Great White Shark,Great white shark, white shark, man-eating shark, white shark, man-eating shark

Features:One of the most vicious sharks

The scientific name of the Great White Shark is Carcharodon carcharias, and its foreign name is Great White Shark. There are no subspecies.The relationship between the Great White Shark and other genera in its family is controversial. Two systematic arrangements have been proposed. One holds that it...

Cetorhinus maximus

Cetorhinus maximus

Cetorhinus maximus,Basking Shark,Elephant shark, basking shark, Gan shark, Meng shark, mouse shark, elephant shark, basking shark

Features:The basking shark is the second largest filter-feeding shark in the world after the whale shark.

The Latin name of the basking shark is Cetorhinus maximus, and its foreign name is Basking Shark. There are no subspecies.The basking shark was first described by Gunnerus in 1765 from a specimen in Norway and was originally named Squalus maximus; in the same year, it was changed to the recognized s...

Lampetra japonicaMartens

Lampetra japonicaMartens

Lampetra japonicaMartens,Lamprey, Japanese lamprey

Features:There is a row of 7 separate gill openings behind the eyes. The gill openings and eyes are arranged in a straight line, with a total of 8 eye-like points, so it is commonly called octagonal gills.

The Latin name of Japanese lamprey is Lampetra japonicaMartens, and the species' type origin is in Japan.Japanese lamprey is a carnivorous fish. It lives both independently and parasitically. It often attaches itself to other fish with a sucker and uses the keratin teeth inside the sucker and on...

Pacific Lancelet

Pacific Lancelet

Pacific Lancelet,Bai's lancelet, lancelet, slug, sea worm, pine worm, headless fish, crocodile worm, Xiamen lancelet, etc.

Features:The brain is underdeveloped and the whole body is translucent

The Pacific Lancelet is a warm-temperate marine fish with no subspecies.The origin of Xiamen Lancelet, Liuwudian, Tong'an County, Xiamen City, is known as the hometown of Lancelet. Xiamen Lancelet is also named after the Wenchang Pavilion on the Liuwudian Island.Xiamen lancelets are warm-tempera...

Oncorhynchus

Oncorhynchus

Oncorhynchus,Big fish, Dafaha fish, Guoduo fish, Oyster fish, Chimon fish, Salmon, King salmon

Features:It looks like a bird, with small eyes and a big mouth, and has high nutritional value.

Salmon are distributed on both the east and west sides of the Pacific Ocean. In my country, the largest number of salmon are found in the Heilongjiang River, the Wusuli River, and the Songhua River. They are also found in the Tumen River, the Hunchun River, the Mi River, the Suifen River, the Nen Ri...

Xiphias gladius

Xiphias gladius

Xiphias gladius,swordfish,Swordfish, marlin, blue swordfish, tench

Features:The body is smooth, the back and body are brownish black, the upper jaw is long and pointed, the dorsal fin is small, the mouth is flat, and there are no gills or pelvic fins.

Swordfish (scientific name: Xiphias gladius), also known as "arrowfish". It is a common fish in tropical and subtropical oceans in the world. It is named because its upper jaw extends forward in a sword shape. A "speed comparison table of marine animals" published in the Soviet m...

Xiphias gladius

Xiphias gladius

Xiphias gladius,swordfish,Sailfish, swordfish, marlin, plantain fish, umbrella sailfish, flatfin sailfish

Features:The upper jaw of its mouth is like a sharp sword, and the first dorsal fin is long and tall, like a raised sail or a flag, so people call it sailfish.

There are two common types of sailfish: the oriental sailfish and the gray sailfish. Also known as flat sail, swordfish, and swordfish. Sailfish are river fish, and are pelagic fish active in tropical and subtropical oceans. They are ferocious by nature and swim fast. When attacking a target, they c...

Epinephelusspp.

Epinephelusspp.

Epinephelusspp.,Dragon grouper, dragon grouper,

Features:It has a thick body and a large mouth, which makes it unsuitable for long-distance and fast swimming.

Grouper is the general name for fish of the subfamily Epinephelinae, belonging to the class Osteichthyes, the subclass Neopterygii, the order Acanthopterygii, the order Perciformes, the suborder Percoidei, and the family Serranidae. It is a large and medium-sized warm-water marine fish, widely distr...

Larimichthys

Larimichthys

Larimichthys,yellow croaker,Yellow croaker, yellow croaker, kingfish

Features:The body is nearly rectangular and laterally flattened, with golden yellow sides and ventral side.

Yellow croaker, Larimichthys (D. S. Jordan et Starks, 1905), also known as yellow croaker, is a general term for a genus of yellow croaker in the family Sciaenidae. It is found in the East China Sea. There are two hard stones in the fish head, called otoliths, so it is also called stonehead fish. Th...

Larimichthys polyactis

Larimichthys polyactis

Larimichthys polyactis,Small yellow croaker, plum, plum fish, small king fish, small fresh, small spring fish, small cucumber fish, thick scale fish, flower fish, big eye, ancient fish, yellow scale f

Features:It is similar to large yellow croaker, but the difference between large yellow croaker and this species is that the caudal peduncle is more than 3 times longer than its height.

Small yellow croaker is a warm-temperate bottom-dwelling schooling migratory fish. It usually inhabits soft mud or muddy sea areas, and its vertical movement phenomenon will enter the estuary area. It hates strong light and likes turbid water. It rises at dusk and descends at dawn. It often inhabits...

Larimichthys crocea

Larimichthys crocea

Larimichthys crocea,Yellow croaker, yellow croaker, cucumber fish, golden dragon, big fresh, golden dragon, red melon, sweet-scented osmanthus yellow croaker, king fish, large yellow croaker

Features:It is similar to small yellow croaker, the main difference is that the caudal peduncle is thicker and more than twice as long as its height.

Pseudosciaena crocea is a warm and humid nearshore migratory fish. It often lives in the middle and lower layers of water within 60 meters. It likes turbid waters. It often floats at dawn, dusk or high tide, and sinks during daytime and low tide. It has the habit of swarming. In the reproductive sea...

Trichiurus lepturus

Trichiurus lepturus

Trichiurus lepturus,Largehead hairtail, skirt fish, fat fish, oil fish, tooth fish, mullet

Features:It is one of the four major seafoods in China, along with large yellow croaker, small yellow croaker and cuttlefish.

The hairtail fish along the coast of my country can be divided into two categories: southern and northern. The northern hairtail fish are larger than the southern hairtail fish. They hibernate in the southern Yellow Sea, swim to the Bohai Sea in spring, forming a spring fish season, and return to th...