The Acanthopterygii superorder is the largest superorder of Osteichthyes.
(Jan van Kessel. Fragment of the painting “Cats with Still Life”. 166?)
The Acanthopterygii superorder comprises 16 orders. The representatives of 13 orders are inhabitants of the Adriatic Sea.
The following 13 orders are found in the Adriatic:
The Mugiliformes order. It comprises the only Mugilidae family. 6 representatives of this family inhabit the Adriatic Sea. Mostly, they are sea coastal brackish-water fish, some of which inhabit the fresh water. Mostly, they are schooling fish preferring to swim in the lagoons and river mouths. Many species are of commercial importance.
The Atheriniformes order. There are 2 representatives of the Atherinidae family in the Adriatic Sea. As a rule, they are medium-sized silver fish.
The Cyprinodontiformes order. One representative of the Cyprinodontoidei suborder of the Cyprinodontoidea subfamily of the Cyprinodontidae family is found in the Adriatic Sea. About four hundred species of medium-sized, subtropical and tropical, often freshwater, mostly bright fish belong to this order. Many of them are popular with aquarists.
The Beloniformes order. 9 representatives of the Belonoidei suborder of the Scomberesocoidea subfamily of the Belonidae family and the Scomberesocidae family, as well as the Exocoetoidea subfamily of the Hemiramphidae family and the Exocoetidae family inhabit the Adriatic Sea. Mostly, they are schooling pelagic fish with an elongated body and long jaws.
The Beryciformes order. The order is represented by one species of the Trachichthyoidei suborder of the Trachichthyidae family in the Adriatic.
Ophidiiformes is an order of deep-sea fish. The representative Abyssobrotula galatheae is found at the depth of 8,370 meters in the waters of Puerto Rico. However, some Ophidiiformes inhabit coastal shallows. They have a narrow body with a small head. The scales are either small or absent. Eight representatives of the following 3 families inhabit the Adriatic Sea: Bythitidae, Carapidae and Ophidiidae.
Lophiiformes is an order of deep-sea fish. They look weirdly. The front part of the dorsal fin is located directly above the jaws and has a shape of a “fishing rod” with a “lure” to attract prey. A body has no scales, and is often covered with skin outgrowths and bony humps. 2 representatives of one Lophiidae family inhabit the Adriatic Sea.
The Gobiesociformes order. It includes the only Gobiesocidae family. 6 representatives of the Gobiesocinae subfamily are found in the Adriatic. As a rule, they are small bottom coastal fish. They spend most of the time stuck to the bottom, stones, shells of mollusks and underwater vegetation.
The Gasterosteiformes order. 1 representative of the Gasterosteidae family, Gasterosteus aculeatus, inhabits the Adriatic Sea. It is found both in freshwater bodies and in the parts of the sea near its mouths. This fish is described in the adriaticnature freshwater fish section.
The Syngnathiformes order. 12 representatives of the following 3 families inhabit the Adriatic Sea: Centriscidae, Fistulariidae and Syngnathidae. A narrow elongated tube-shaped snout and, in most cases, an elongated body are peculiar features of the fish.
The Tetraodontiformes order. 7 representatives of the following 4 families inhabit the Adriatic Sea: Balistidae, Monacanthidae, Molidae and Tetraodontidae. The order includes bizarre fish. Their bodies resemble a ball, a disk, or a box. They usually swim away from the coast, but come close to the coast before or during a storm. Some representatives may envenom.
The Scorpaeniformes order. 16 representatives of 3 suborders and 5 families, including the Dactylopteroidei suborder with the Dactylopteridae family, the Platycephaloidei suborder with the Peristediidae family, the Scorpaenoidei suborder with the Sebastidae family, the Scorpaenidae family and the Triglidae family, inhabit the Adriatic Sea. As a rule, they have thorny heads. Most often, they are bottom dwellers. Some of them have venomous spikes.
The Perciformes order. It is the most numerous fish order. It numbers more than 10,000 species, united in 160 families and 20 suborders. adriaticnature will dwell on this order separately.
The Pleuronectiformes order. 24 representatives of 2 suborders and 5 families, including the Pleuronectoidei suborder with the Bothidae family, the Citharidae family, the Pleuronectidae family, the Scophthalmidae family and the Soleoidei suborder with the Soleidae family, inhabit the Adriatic Sea. They are bottom dwellers.