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Acanthuriformes

Osteichthyes - Acanthuriformes

Taxonomy
Acanthuriformes was named as an order. It is extant.

It was reranked as the unranked clade Acanthuriformes by Jordan (1963).

It was assigned to Squamipennes by Jordan (1963); to Percomorpharia by Betancur et al. (2013); to Eupercaria by van der Laan (2019); and to Ovalentaria by Nelson et al. (2016), Cicimurri et al. (2025).

Synonyms
Synonymy list
YearName and author
1963Acanthuriformes Jordan p. 707
1995Acanthuroidei Bannikov and Tyler p. 5
2012Acanthuroidei Bannikov and Tyler p. 21
2013Acanthuriformes Betancur et al.
2014Acanthuroidei Bannikov p. 29
2016Acanthuriformes Nelson et al. p. 497
2019Acanthuriformes van der Laan p. 81
2025Acanthuriformes Cicimurri et al. p. 90

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
—Bilateria
—EubilateriaAx 1987
—Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
classOsteichthyes
RankNameAuthor
subclassActinopterygii()
infraclassActinopteri()
—Teleosteomorpha
—Acanthopterygii
—Percomorphaceae
—EupercariaBetancur et al. 2013
orderAcanthuriformes
orderAcanthuriformes

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

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Fm. †Acanthonemidae Bannikov 1991
+
G. †Acanthonemus Agassiz 1833
+
†Acanthonemus bertrandi Agassiz 1834
†Acanthonemus filamentosus Agassiz 1834
†Acanthonemus subaureus Blainville 1818
+
+
G. †Glarithurus Tyler and Micklich 2011
+
†Glarithurus friedmani Tyler and Micklich 2011
G. †Acanthuroides Blot and Tyler 1990
+
†Acanthuroides massalongoi Blot and Tyler 1990
G. Acanthurus Forskal 1775
+
†Acanthurus canossae Heckel 1856
†Acanthurus gaudryi de Zigno 1887
†Acanthurus gazolae Massalongo 1859
†Acanthurus ovalis Agassiz 1839
†Acanthurus tenuis Agassiz 1835
G. Ctenochaetus Gill 1885
G. †Eonaso Blot 1984
+
†Eonaso deani Hussakof 1907
G. †Eorandallius Blot and Tyler 1990
+
†Eorandallius elegans Blot and Tyler 1990
†Eorandallius rectifrons Agassiz 1835
G. †Frigosorbinia Bannikov and Tyler 2012
+
†Frigosorbinia baldwinae Sorbini and Tyler 1998
G. †Gazolaichthys Blot and Tyler 1990
+
†Gazolaichthys vestenanovae Blot and Tyler 1990
G. †Lehmanichthys Blot and Tyler 1990
+
†Lehmanichthys lessiniensis Blot and Tyler 1990
G. Marosichthys Whitely 1951
+
†Marosichthys huismani de Beaufort 1926
Invalid names: Marosia de Beaufort 1926 [replaced]
G. †Metacanthurus Blot and Tyler 1990
+
†Metacanthurus veronensis Blot and Tyler 1990
G. †Metaspisurus Blot and Tyler 1990
+
†Metaspisurus emmanueli Blot and Tyler 1990
G. †Naseus Commerson
+
†Naseus nuchalis Agassiz 1835
†Naseus rectifrons Agassiz 1835
Subfm. Nasinae Smith 1955
+
G. †Arambourgthurus Tyler 2000
+
†Arambourgthurus scombrurus Arambourg 1956
G. Naso Lacépède 1802
G. †Padovathurus Tyler 2005
+
†Padovathurus gaudryi de Zigno 1887
G. Paracanthurus Bleeker 1863
G. †Pesciarichthys Blot and Tyler 1990
+
†Pesciarichthys punctatus Blot and Tyler 1990
G. Prionurus Lacépede 1804
+
Prionurus microlepidotus Lacépede 1804
G. †Proacanthurus Blot and Tyler 1990
+
†Proacanthurus bonatoi Blot and Tyler 1990
†Proacanthurus elongatus Blot and Tyler 1990
†Proacanthurus ovalis Agassiz 1839
†Proacanthurus tenuis Agassiz 1835
G. †Protozebrasoma Sorbini and Tyler 1998
+
†Protozebrasoma bloti Sorbini and Tyler 1998
G. †Sorbinithurus Tyler 1999
+
†Sorbinithurus sorbinii Tyler 1999
G. †Tauichthys Tyler 1999
+
†Tauichthys aspesae Tyler and Bannikov 2000
†Tauichthys padremenini Tyler 1999
G. †Tylerichthys Blot 1980
+
†Tylerichthys milani Blot and Tyler 1990
†Tylerichthys nuchalis Agassiz 1835
G. Zebrasoma Swainson 1839
Fm. Lutjanidae Gill 1861
+
Subfm. Apsilinae Johnson 1980
+
G. Apsilus Cuvier and Valenciennes 1830
Subfm. Etelinae Gill 1893
+
G. Aprion Cuvier and Valenciennes 1830
G. Etelis Cuvier 1828
+
†Etelis bathypelagicus Aguilera et al. 2025
G. Pristipomoides Bleeker 1852
+
Pristipomoides aquilonaris Goode and Bean 1896 [wenchman]
G. †Etelinus Jordan and Thompson 1911
G. †Goujetia Bannikov 2006
+
†Goujetia crassispina Agassiz 1839
G. †Lessinia Bannikov and Zorzin 2014
+
†Lessinia horrenda Bannikov and Zorzin 2014
Subfm. Lutjaninae Gill 1861
+
G. Lutjanus Bloch 1790
+
†Lutianus lerichei Nolf 1972
Lutjanus buccanella Cuvier 1828 [blackfin snapper]
Lutjanus griseus Linnaeus 1758 [grey snapper]
†Lutjanus hagari Jordan and Gilbert 1919
Invalid names: Mesoprion Cuvier 1828 [synonym]
G. Ocyurus Gill 1862
+
Ocyurus chrysurus Bloch 1790 [yellowtail snapper]
G. Rhomboplites Gill 1862
+
Rhomboplites aurorubens Cuvier 1829 [vermilion snapper]
G. †Ottaviania Sorbini 1983
+
†Ottaviania leptacanthus Agassiz 1839
†Ottaviania mariae Sorbania 1983
G. †Veranichthys Bannikov 2006
+
†Veranichthys ventralis Agassiz 1839
+
G. †Aluvarus Bannikov and Tyler 1995
G. †Avitoluvarus Bannikov and Tyler 1995
+
Avitoluvarus dianae Bannikov and Tyler 1995
†Avitoluvarus mariannae Bannikov and Tyler 1995
G. Luvarus Rafinesque 1810
+
Luvarus imperialis Rafinesque 1810
†Luvarus necopinatus Danil'chenko 1968
†Luvarus praeimperialis Arambourg 1967
G. †Proluvarus Daniltshenko 1968
+
G. †Massalongius Tyler and Bannikov 2005
+
†Massalongius gazolai Massalongo 1859
+
G. †Eozanclus Blot and Voruz 1975
+
†Eozanclus brevirostris Agassiz 1835
Invalid names: Acanthuroidei [invalid subgroup], Sciaenoidei Cuvier 1828 [empty]
Diagnosis
No diagnoses are available
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: phosphaticsubp
Environment: marinesubp
Locomotion: actively mobilec
Created: 2009-07-20 21:50:54
Modified: 2009-07-20 23:50:54
Source: c = class, subp = subphylum
References: Hendy et al. 2009, Carroll 1988, Kiessling 2004

Age range

Maximum range based only on fossils: base of the Ypresian to the top of the Holocene or 56.00000 to 0.00000 Ma
Minimum age of oldest fossil (stem group age): 48.07 Ma

Collections (46 total)


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Ypresian56.0 - 48.07Turkmenistan Proluvarus necopinatus, Kushlukia permira, Avitoluvarus dianae, Avitoluvarus mariannae (186444)
Ypresian56.0 - 48.07Italy Acanthurus gazolai, Pesciarichthys punctatus, Lessinia horrenda, Proacanthurus tenuis, Proacanthurus bonatoi, Proacanthurus ovalis, Proacanthurus elongatus, Metacanthurus veronensis, Eorandallius rectifrons, Eorandallius elegans, Acanthuroides massalongoi, Lehmanichthys lessiniensis, Metaspisurus emmanueli, Tylerichthys nuchalis, Tylerichthys milani, Protozebrasoma bloti, Sorbinithurus sorbinii, Tauichthys padremenini, Gazolaichthys vestenanovae, Acanthurus gaudryi (55239) Pesciarichthys punctatus, Pesciarichthys baldwinae, Ottaviania mariae, Ottaviania leptacanthus, Veranichthys ventralis, Goujetia crassispina, Lessinia sp., Lessinia horrenda, Sorbiniperca scheuchzeri, Sorbinicapros sorbiniorum, Zorzinichthys annae, Acanthonemus subaureus, Proacanthurus tenuis, Proacanthurus bonatoi, Proacanthurus ovalis, Proacanthurus elongatus, Metacanthurus veronensis, Eorandallius rectifrons, Eorandallius elegans, Acanthuroides massalongoi, Lehmanichthys lessiniensis, Metaspisurus emmanueli, Tylerichthys nuchalis, Tylerichthys milani, Protozebrasoma bloti, Sorbinithurus sorbinii, Tauichthys padremenini, Tauichthys aspesae, Gazolaichthys vestenanovae, Padovathurus gaudryi, Eozanclus brevirostris, Massalongius gazolai (94830)
Ypresian56.0 - 48.07India (Rajasthan) Kushlukia sp. (210133)
Eocene56.0 - 33.9France Lutianus lerichei (220174)
Lutetian48.07 - 41.03United Kingdom (England) Apsilus latus, Ocyurus postangulatus (41998) Lutianus concavus (41888 41992 41994)
Lutetian48.07 - 41.03Georgia Acanthuroidei indet. (185619)
Bartonian41.03 - 37.71USA (Alabama) Lutianus intermedius (83251)
Priabonian37.71 - 33.9USA (Louisiana) Pristipomoides sp. (75638)
Rupelian33.9 - 27.3Russian Federation Acanthuroidei indet. (186469)
Rupelian33.9 - 27.3Iran Arambourgthurus scombrurus (185490)
Rupelian33.9 - 27.3Switzerland (Glarus) Glarithurus friedmani (185488)
Oligocene33.9 - 23.04Czechia (Tschechien) Apostasis rzehaki (185664)
Oligocene33.9 - 23.04Antigua and Barbuda (Antigua) Zebrasoma deani (186839)
Chattian27.3 - 23.04USA (Mississippi) Lutjanidae indet. (133111)
Early/Lower Miocene23.04 - 15.98Venezuela (Paraguana) Pristipomoides sp., Ocyurus sp. (118106)
Early/Lower Miocene23.04 - 15.98Costa Rica Acanthurus sp. (187875)
Early/Lower Miocene23.04 - 15.98Indonesia (Maros) Marosia huismani (187654)
Miocene23.04 - 5.333USA (California) Lutianus hagari (186021)
Miocene23.04 - 5.333Australia (Queensland) Lutjanus sp. (227021)
Langhian15.98 - 13.82Mexico (Baja California) Lutjanus novemfasciatus (52183)
Langhian15.98 - 13.82France Acanthurus sp. (90354)
Badenian13.82 - 12.8Croatia Acanthuridae indet. (185489)
Serravallian13.82 - 11.63Slovakia (Bratislava) Acanthuridae indet. (58983)
Late/Upper Clarendonian12.5 - 9.4USA (Florida) Lutjanus sp. (18554)
Tortonian11.63 - 7.246Venezuela Lutjanidae indet. (200110)
Tortonian11.63 - 7.246Greece (Crete) Acanthuridae indet. (207356)
Tortonian11.63 - 7.246Panama Lutjanidae indet. (145519 145522) Rhomboplites sp. (145521)
Tortonian11.63 - 7.246Greece Acanthuridae indet. (60775 185752)
Messinian7.246 - 5.333Panama (Colon) Etelis bathypelagicus (231894)
Early/Lower Pliocene5.333 - 3.6USA (South Carolina) Acanthurus sp. (212232)
Pliocene5.333 - 2.58Jamaica Pristipomoides sp., Rhomboplites aurorubens (186673)
Late/Upper Pleistocene0.129 - 0.0117USA (Virginia) Lutianus sp. (73485)
Late/Upper Pleistocene - Holocene0.129 - 0.0USA (Louisiana) Pristipomoides aquilonaris (161932)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Turks and Caicos Islands Acanthurus spp., Lutjanus spp., Lutjanus buccanella, Lutjanus griseus, Ocyurus chrysurus (209855)
Holocene0.0117 - 0.0Marshall Islands Naso sp., Acanthuridae indet. (194996 194998 194999) Naso sp., Lutjanidae indet., Acanthuridae indet. (194995 194997)