what are osteichthyes
Osteichthyes /ËÉstiËËÉªkÎ¸i.iËz/ , also called bony fish, are a taxonomic group of fish that have bone, as opposed to cartilaginous, skeletons.The vast majority of fish are osteichthyes, which is an extremely diverse and abundant group consisting of 45 orders, and over 435 families and 28,000 species.It is the largest class of vertebrates in existence today.Osteichthyes are divided into the ray-finned fish (Actinopterygii) and lobe-finned fish (Sarcopterygii).The oldest known fossils of bony fish are about 420 million years ago, which are also transitional fossils, showing a tooth pattern that is in between the tooth rows of sharks and bony fishes.t is the largest class of vertebrates in existence today. Osteichthyes are divided into the ray-finned fish (Actinopterygii) and lobe-finned fish (Sarcopterygii).