Scorpaeniformes

The **Scorpaeniformes**, also known as the **mail-cheeked fishes**, are a diverse order of marine and freshwater ray-finned fish. They belong in the group **Scleroparei**. Scorpaeniforms are widespread throughout the oceans of the world. An example is the sculpin.

Here is a list of mail-cheeked fishes:

- _Psychrolutes marcidus_
- De Beaufort's flathead
- Australian prowfish
- Sea robin
- Peristediidae
- _Eschmeyer nexus_
- Velvetfish
- Stonefish
- Rockfish
- Thornyhead
- _Adelosebastes_
- Spiny scorpionfish
- _Sebastolobus altivelis_
- Horsefish
- Stickleback

## Classification

Order **Scorpaeniformes**
- Suborder Scorpaenoidei
    - Superfamily Congiopodoidea
        - Family Aploactinidae <small>Jordan & Starks, 1904</small> (Velvetfishes)
        - Family Congiopodidae <small>Gill, 1889</small> (Racehorses, pigfishes or horsefishes)
    - Superfamily Pataecoidea
        - Family Pataecidae <small>Gill, 1872</small> (Australian prowfishes)
        - Family Gnathanacanthidae <small>Gill, 1892</small> (Red velvetfish)
    - Superfamily Scorpaenoidea
        - Family Eschmeyeridae <small>Mandrytsa, 2001</small> (the cofish)
        - Family Scorpaenidae <small>Risso, 1827</small> (Scorpionfishes)
- Suborder Platycephaloidei
    - Superfamily Platycephaloidea
        - Family Bembridae <small>Kaup, 1873</small> (Deepwater flatheads)
        - Family Platycephalidae <small>Swainson, 1839</small> (True flatheads)
        - Family Hoplichthyidae <small>Kaup, 1873</small> (Ghost flatheads)
    - Superfamily Trigloidea
        - Family Triglidae <small>Rafinesque, 1815</small> (Common searobins)
        - Family Peristediidae <small>Jordan & Gilbert, 1883</small> (Armored searobins)
- Suborder Normanichthyiodei
    - Family Normanichthyidae <small>Clark, 1837</small> (the Barehead scorpionfish or mote sculpin)
- Suborder Zoarcoidei
    - Superfamily Anarhichadoidea
        - Family Anarhichadidae <small>Bonaparte, 1835</small> (Wolffishes)
        - Family Cryptacanthodidae <small>Gill, 1861</small> (Wrymouths)
        - Family Stichaeidae <small>Gill, 1864</small> (Pricklebacks)
        - Family Pholidae <small>Gill, 1893</small> (Gunnels)
    - Superfamily Bathymasteroidea
        - Family Bathymasteridae <small>Jordan & Gilbert, 1883</small> (Ronquils)
        - Family Ptilichthyidae <small>Jordan & Gilbert, 1883</small> (Quillfish)
    - Superfamily Zoarcoidea
        - Family Eulophiidae <small>H. M. Smith, 1902</small> (Spinous eelpouts)
        - Family Zoarcidae <small>Swainson, 1839</small> (True Eelpouts)
    - Superfamily Zaproroidea
        - Family Scytalinidae <small>Jordan & Starks, 1895</small> (Graveldivers)
        - Family Zaproridae <small>Jordan, 1896</small> (Prowfishes)
- Suborder Gasterosteoidei
    - Family Hypoptychidae <small>Steindachner, 1880</small> (the Korean Sandlance)
    - Family Aulorhynchidae <small>Gill (1861)</small> (Tubesnouts)
    - Family Gasterosteidae <small>Bonaparte, 1831</small> (Sticklebacks)
- Suborder Cottoidei
    - Superfamily Anoplopomatoidea <small>(Quast, 1965)</small>
        - Family Anoplopomatidae <small>Jordan & Gilbert, 1883</small> (Blackcod)
    - Superfamily Zaniolepidoidea <small>Shinohara, 1994</small>
        - Family Zaniolepididae <small>Jordan & Gilbert, 1883</small> (Combfishes)
    - Superfamily Hexagrammoidea <small>Gill, 1889</small>
        - Family Hexagrammidae <small>Jordan, 1888</small> (Greenlings)
    - Superfamily Trichodontoidea <small>Nazarkin & Voskoboinikova, 2000</small>
        - Family Trichodontidae <small>Bleeker, 1859</small> (Sandfishes)
    - Superfamily Cottoidea <small>Gill, 1889</small>
        - Family Jordaniidae <small>Jordan & Evermann, 1898</small> (Longfin sculpins)
        - Family Rhamphocottidae <small>Jordan & Gilbert, 1883</small> (Grunt sculpins)
        - Family Scorpaenichthyidae <small>Jordan & Evermann, 1898</small>
        - Family Agonidae <small>Swainson, 1839</small> (Poachers and searavens)
        - Family Cottidae <small>Bonaparte, 1831</small> (Sculpins)
        - Family Psychrolutidae <small>Günther, 1861</small> (Bighead sculpins)
        - Family Bathylutichthyidae <small>Balushkin & Voskoboinikova, 1990</small> (Antarctic sculpins)
    - Superfamily Cyclopteroidea <small>Gill, 1873</small>
        - Family Cyclopteridae <small>Bonaparte, 1831</small> (lumpfishes or lumpsuckers)
        - Family Liparidae <small>Gill, 1861</small> (Snailfishes)

## Related pages

- Atractosteus
- Kyphosichthys

## References

1. <small>Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2006). "Scorpaeniformes" in FishBase. February 2006 version.</small>
1. <small>Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2021). "_Erilepis zonifer_" in FishBase. June 2021 version.</small>

## General references

- <small>"Scorpaeniformes". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 31 March 2006.</small>
- <small>J. S. Nelson; T. C. Grande; M. V. H. Wilson (2016). _Fishes of the World _ (5th ed.). Wiley. pp. 467–495</small>

## Other websites

- http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=10329