Percoidei is a suborder of bony fishes in the order Perciformes. Many commercially harvested fish species are considered to be contained in this suborder, including the groupers, seabasses and perches.
Divisions
The following classification is based on Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes:
- Suborder Percoidei
- Family Serranidae <small>Swainson, 1839</small> (sea basses)
- Family Anthiadidae <small>Poey, 1861</small> (fairy basslets or streamer basses)
- Family Epinephelidae <small>Bleeker, 1874</small> (groupers)
- Family Liopropomatidae <small>Poey, 1867</small> (painted basslets)
- Subfamily Liopropomatinae <small>Poey, 1867</small>
- Subfamily Diploprioninae <small>Bleeker, 1874</small>
- Family Grammistidae <small>Bleeker, 1857</small> (soapfishes)
- Family Percidae <small>Rafinesque, 1815</small> (perches and darters)
- Subfamily Percinae <small>Rafinesque, 1815</small>
- Subfamily Luciopercinae <small>Jordan & Evermann, 1896</small>
- Subfamily Etheostomatinae <small>Agassiz, 1850</small>
- Family Niphonidae <small>Jordan, 1923</small> (Ara groupers)
- Family Trachinidae <small>Rafinesque, 1815</small> (weeverfishes)
- Family Bembropidae <small>Regan, 1913</small> (flatheads or duckbill flatheads)
The species in the family Grammistidae and the liopropomatid subfamily Diploprioninae secrete a mucus-like toxin in their skin called grammistin, and when they are confined in a restricted space and subjected to stress, the mucus produces a foam that is toxic to nearby fish. These fishes are often called soapfishes.
Former classification
Until recently, the Percoidei had a much more expanded treatment containing many different morphologically similar families. However, such a treatment is now known to be polyphyletic.
References