Scorpaeniformes is an order of ray-finned fish, but it has also been called the Scleroparei. Species in this order have recently been reclassified into the Perciformes.
They are known as "mail-cheeked" fishes due to their distinguishing characteristic, the suborbital stay: a backwards extension of the third circumorbital bone (part of the lateral head/cheek skeleton, below the eye socket) across the cheek to the preoperculum, to which it is connected in most species.
Classification
The division of Scorpaeniformes into families is not settled; accounts range from 26 families[1][2] to 35 families[3][4].
^ William N. Eschmeyer, Carl J. Ferraris, Mysi D. Hoang, Douglas J. Long (1998). Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. ISBN 0-940228-47-5.
^"Scorpaeniformes". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. February 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.
^ Icelidae is described as a separate family by some sources [1], containing only the genus Icelus. However, this genus which is considered to be a member of Cottidae by most other sources [2]
^Parabembridae is included in Bembridae in ITIS and Nelson, but split in FishBase and Eschmeyer.
