Cypriniformes

Many fish belong to this big group.

These fish do not have teeth in their mouths. Instead, they have teeth in their throats. These teeth help them grind food.

Some fish look like catfish. They have small whiskers to find food. This helps them see in dark water.

You might see a goldfish at home. They are very popular pets. Many people love to watch them swim.

Cypriniformes is a huge group of fish. It has more than 4,250 named species.

These fish are special because they lack teeth in their mouths. Instead, they have pharyngeal teeth. These are teeth located in their throats. They use these teeth to grind up food against the base of their skull.

Many of these fish live in fresh water. Most are found in Asia. However, some can live in salt water.

Some fish in this group look like catfish. They have barbels, which are small whiskers. These help them find food in dark or murky water.

Other fish are called loaches. Some loaches eat algae in mountain streams.

Humans know these fish well. Goldfish and koi are very popular pets. Scientists also study the zebrafish. It is a very important tool for biological research.

Cypriniformes is a huge group of ray-finned fish. This order includes many different families and genera. It contains over 4,250 named species. Some scientists say there are 11 to 12 families. Others believe there are as many as 23 families. These fish are part of a larger group called Ostariophysi. They are very diverse in South and Southeast Asia. However, you will not find them in Australia or South America.

These fish have a special way of eating. Most fish have teeth in their mouths to bite food. Cypriniformes do not have teeth in their mouths at all. Instead, they have pharyngeal teeth in their throats. They use these teeth to grind food. The teeth rub against a chewing pad on the base of their skull. They also have a unique bone in their snout called a kinethmoid. Most of these fish only have one fin on their backs.

Finding the history of these fish is a big job for scientists. For a long time, people thought they lived in Southeast Asia. New fossils found in 2025 changed this idea. Scientists found fossils in the Prince Creek Formation in Alaska. These fossils are from about 71 to 69 million years ago. This suggests they might have started in cold, high-latitude regions. They may have moved south during the Cenozoic era.

There are many different types of fish in this order. The Cyprinidae family includes carps and minnows. This family makes up two-thirds of all Cypriniformes. Some live in fresh water, but others live in brackish water. The Pacific redfin is one rare species found in salt water.

Humans interact with these fish in many ways. Many people keep them as pets in aquariums. Goldfish and koi are two very famous examples. Other species are important as food for people in Europe and Asia. Scientists also study a fish called the zebrafish. The zebrafish is a very important tool for biological research. It helps scientists learn how living things grow and work.

Cypriniformes is a massive order of ray-finned fish. This group includes many different families and genera. There are over 4,250 named species within this order. Some scientists list 11 to 12 families. Other experts identify as many as 23 families. These fish belong to a larger superorder called Ostariophysi. This group is incredibly diverse, especially in South and Southeast Asia. However, they are entirely absent from Australia and South America.

Members of Cypriniformes have unique physical traits. Like other Ostariophysi, they possess a Weberian apparatus. This is a specialized structure used for hearing. Most other Ostariophysi have a small, fleshy adipose fin on their backs. Cypriniformes differ because they only have a single dorsal fin. They also have a unique kinethmoid. This is a small median bone located in the snout. Most importantly, these fish lack teeth in their mouths. Instead, they use pharyngeal teeth located in their throats. These teeth grind food against a chewing pad at the base of the skull.

The order is divided into distinct suborders. The Cyprinoidea suborder contains carps and minnows. This includes the massive Cyprinidae family and the Psilorhynchidae family. The Cobitoidei suborder includes many different groups. It contains families like the Botiidae, which are pointface loaches. It also includes the Cobitidae, known as true loaches. Other families in this suborder include the Balitoridae, or hillstream loaches. There are also the Catostomidae, which are known as suckers.

History and discovery have changed how we view these fish. Scientists once thought they originated in Southeast Asia. However, new fossil evidence was found in 2025. Researchers identified fossils in the Prince Creek Formation in Alaska. These fossils date back to the early Maastrichtian age, roughly 71 to 69 million years ago. This suggests they may have started in high-latitude regions. They might have moved south during the Cenozoic era. The earliest known cypriniform fossils are the extinct Jianghanichthyidae from China.

The diversity of this order is quite large. The Cyprinidae family alone makes up two-thirds of all Cypriniformes. This family is found across Eurasia, North America, and Africa. While most are freshwater fish, some live in brackish water. The Pacific redfin is a rare species found in saltwater.

Cypriniformes have many connections to human life. Many species are vital food sources in Europe and Asia. Others are popular in the aquarium trade. Goldfish and koi are two of the most famous examples. Some species, like the common carp, have been introduced to all continents except Antarctica. These introduced species can sometimes harm environments. For example, carp can stir up riverbeds and reduce water clarity. This makes it difficult for plants to grow.

In the world of science, one fish is especially famous. The zebrafish, or Danio rerio, is a vital model organism. Scientists use zebrafish in biological and biochemical research. They are used to study how vertebrates develop and function. This makes them essential for understanding complex biological systems. The study of Cypriniformes helps us understand the broader evolution of the Ostariophysi superorder. This includes their relationship to characins, electric eels, and catfishes.