List of chordate orders

Spotted gar, Lepisosteus oculatus

This article contains a list of all of the classes and orders that are located in the Phylum Chordata.

Subphylum Cephalochordata

Class Leptocardii: Lancelets

Lancelet Branchiostoma lanceolatum

• Order Amphioxiformes

Family Pikaiidae †

• Genus Pikaia †

Olfactores (unranked)

Subphylum Tunicata

Class Ascidiacea: Ascideans and sessile tunicates

Chelyosoma macleayanum

• Order Enterogona
• Order Pleurogona
• Order Aspiraculata

Class Thaliacea: Pelagic tunicates

• Order Doliolida
• Order Pyrosomida
• Order Salpida: salps

Class Appendicularia: Solitary, free-swimming tunicates

• Order Copelata

Subphylum Vertebrates

Infraphylum Cyclostomata, Superclass Agnatha: Paraphyletic jawless vertebrates

Class Myxini: Hagfish

• Order Myxiniformes
  • • Family Myxinidae

Class Hyperoartia: Lampreys and their † kin

• Order Petromyzontiformes

Infraphylum Gnathostomata: Jawed vertebrates

Bothriolepis canadensis

Class Placodermi †

• Order Acanthothoraci
• Order Arthrodira
• Order Antiarchi
• Order Brindabellaspida
• Order Petalichthyida
• Order Phyllolepida
• Order Ptyctodontida
• Order Rhenanida
• Order Pseudopetalichthyida (The placement of this order is debated.)
• Order Stensioellida (The placement of this monotypic order is debated.)

Class Chondrichthyes: Cartilaginous fish

Dogfish shark

Pristiophorus japonicus

• Subclass Elasmobranchii
  • Superorder Batoidea
    • Order Rajiformes: rays and skates
    • Order Rhinopristiformes: sawfishes
    • Order Torpediniformes: electric rays
    • Order Myliobatiformes: (sting)rays
  • Superorder Selachimorpha (sharks)
    • Order Heterodontiformes: bullhead sharks
    • Order Orectolobiformes: carpet sharks
    • Order Carcharhiniformes: ground sharks
    • Order Lamniformes: mackerel sharks
    • Order Hexanchiformes: frilled and cow sharks
    • Order Squaliformes: dogfish sharks
    • Order Squatiniformes: angel sharks
    • Order Pristiophoriformes: saw sharks
• Subclass Holocephali
  • Order Chimaeriformes: chimaeras

Class Acanthodii †

Acanthodes

• Order Climatiiformes
• Order Ischnacanthiformes
• Order Acanthodiformes

Superclass Osteichthyes: Bony fish

Class Actinopterygii: Ray-finned fish

Atlantic sturgeon

• Order Asarotiformes †
• Order Discordichthyiformes †
• Order Paphosisciformes †
• Order Scanilepiformes †
• Order Cheirolepidiformes †
• Order Paramblypteriformes †
• Order Rhadinichthyiformes †
• Order Palaeonisciformes †
• Order Tarrasiiformes †
• Order Pachycormiformes †
• Order Ptycholepiformes †
• Order Redfieldiiformes †
• Order Haplolepidiformes †
• Order Aeduelliformes †
• Order Platysomiformes †
• Order Dorypteriformes †
• Order Eurynotiformes †

Subclass Cladistii

• Order Polypteriformes

Subclass Chondrostei

• Order Acipenseriformes: sturgeons and paddlefishes

Subclass Neopterygii

Lepisosteus oculatus

Eurypharynx pelecanoides

Argyropelecus aculeatus

• Infraclass Holostei
  • Order Lepisosteiformes, the gars
  • Order Amiiformes, the bowfins
• Infraclass Teleostei
• Superorder Osteoglossomorpha
  • Order Osteoglossiformes, the bony-tongued fishes
  • Order Hiodontiformes, including the mooneye and goldeye
  • Order Lycopteriformes
  • Order Ichthyodectiformes †
• Superorder Elopomorpha
  • Order Elopiformes, including the ladyfishes and tarpon
  • Order Albuliformes, the bonefishes
  • Order Notacanthiformes, including the halosaurs and spiny eels
  • Order Anguilliformes, the true eels and gulpers
  • Order Saccopharyngiformes, including the gulper eel
• Superorder Clupeomorpha
  • Order Clupeiformes, including herrings and anchovies
• Superorder Ostariophysi
  • Order Gonorynchiformes, including the milkfishes
  • Order Cypriniformes, including barbs, carp, danios, goldfishes, loaches, minnows, rasboras
  • Order Characiformes, including characins, pencilfishes, hatchetfishes, piranhas, tetras.
  • Order Gymnotiformes, including electric eels and knifefishes
  • Order Siluriformes, the catfishes
• Superorder Protacanthopterygii
  • Order Salmoniformes, including salmon and trout
  • Order Esociformes the pike
  • Order Osmeriformes, including the smelts and galaxiids
• Superorder Stenopterygii
  • Order Ateleopodiformes, the jellynose fish
  • Order Stomiiformes, including the bristlemouths and marine hatchetfishes
• Superorder Cyclosquamata
  • Order Aulopiformes, including the Bombay duck and lancetfishes
• Superorder Scopelomorpha
  • Order Myctophiformes, including the lanternfishes
• Superorder Lampridiomorpha
  • Order Lampriformes, including the oarfish, opah and ribbonfishes
• Superorder Polymyxiomorpha
  • Order Polymixiiformes, the beardfishes
• Superorder Paracanthopterygii
  • Order Percopsiformes, including the cavefishes and trout-perches
  • Order Batrachoidiformes, the toadfishes
  • Order Lophiiformes, including the anglerfishes
  • Order Gadiformes, including cods
  • Order Ophidiiformes, including the pearlfishes
• Superorder Acanthopterygii
  • Order Mugiliformes, the mullets
  • Order Atheriniformes, including silversides and rainbowfishes
  • Order Beloniformes, including the flyingfishes
  • Order Cetomimiformes, the whalefishes
  • Order Cyprinodontiformes, including livebearers, killifishes
  • Order Stephanoberyciformes, including the ridgeheads
  • Order Beryciformes, including the fangtooths and pineconefishes
  • Order Zeiformes, including the dories
  • Order Gobiesociformes, the clingfishes
  • Order Gasterosteiformes including sticklebacks, pipefishes, seahorses
  • Order Syngnathiformes, including the seahorses and pipefishes
  • Order Synbranchiformes, including the swamp eels
  • Order Tetraodontiformes, including the filefishes and pufferfish
  • Order Pleuronectiformes, the flatfishes
  • Order Scorpaeniformes, including scorpionfishes and the sculpins
  • Order Perciformes 40% of all fish including anabantids, centrarchids (incl. bass and sunfish), cichlids, gobies, gouramis, mackerel, perches, scats, whiting, wrasses

Class Sarcopterygii: Lobe-finned fish

West Indian Ocean coelacanth

• Subclass Actinistia (coelacanths)
  • Order Coelacanthiformes, the coelacanth
• Subclass Dipnoi (lungfish)
  • Order Ceratodontiformes
  • Order Lepidosireniformes

Superclass Tetrapoda

Class Amphibia: Amphibians

• Order Urodela or Caudata (salamanders)
• Order Anura (frogs and toads)
• Order Gymnophiona or Apoda (caecilians)

Class Reptilia: Reptiles

Saltwater crocodile

• Subclass Diapsida
  • Infraclass Archosauromorpha
    • Superorder Crocodylomorpha
      • Order Crocodilia (Crocodilians)
    • Class Aves (Birds)
  • Infraclass Lepidosauromorpha
    • Superorder Lepidosauria
      • Order Rhynchocephalia (tuataras)
      • Order Squamata (lizards, snakes)
• Subclass Anapsida
  • Order Testudines (turtles and their kin)

Class Aves: Birds

Southern rockhopper penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome), a flightless bird

• Subclass Neornithes
• Infraclass Palaeognathae
  • Order Apterygiformes kiwis
  • Order Casuariiformes cassowaries and emu
  • Order Rheiformes rheas
  • Order Struthioniformes, ostriches
  • Order Tinamiformes, tinamous
• Infraclass Neognathae
  • Superorder Galloanserae (fowl)
    • Order Anseriformes, waterfowl
    • Order Galliformes, fowl
  • Superorder Neoaves
    • Order Sphenisciformes, penguins
    • Order Gaviiformes, loons
    • Order Podicipediformes, grebes
    • Order Procellariiformes, albatrosses, petrels, and allies
    • Order Pelecaniformes, pelicans and allies
    • Order Ciconiiformes, storks and allies
    • Order Phoenicopteriformes, flamingos
    • Order Accipitriformes, eagles, hawks and allies (taxonomists have traditionally placed these groups in the Falconiformes)
    • Order Falconiformes, falcons
    • Order Opisthocomiformes, hoatzin (this enigmatic bird was traditionally treated as a family within either the Galliformes or Cuculiformes)
    • Order Gruiformes, cranes and allies
    • Order Charadriiformes, plovers and allies
    • Order Pterocliformes, sandgrouse (this enigmatic group was traditionally treated as a family in any of three different orders: Charadriiformes, Ciconiiformes, and Columbiformes)
    • Order Columbiformes, doves and pigeons
    • Order Psittaciformes, parrots and allies
    • Order Cuculiformes, cuckoos
    • Order Strigiformes, owls
    • Order Caprimulgiformes, nightjars and allies
    • Order Apodiformes, swifts
    • Order Coliiformes, mousebirds
    • Order Trogoniformes, trogons
    • Order Coraciiformes, kingfishers
    • Order Piciformes, woodpeckers and allies
    • Order Passeriformes, passerines

Class Mammalia: Mammals

• Subclass Prototheria
  • Order Monotremata, monotremes
• Subclass Theria
  • Infraclass Marsupialia
    • Order Didelphimorphia, opossums
    • Order Paucituberculata, rat opossums
    • Order Microbiotheria, monito del monte
    • Order Dasyuromorphia, marsupial carnivores
    • Order Peramelemorphia, marsupial omnivores
    • Order Notoryctemorphia, marsupial moles
    • Order Diprotodontia, marsupial herbivores; kangaroos, wallabies, possums and allies
  • Infraclass Eutheria
    • Magnorder Atlantogenata
      • Superorder Afrotheria
        • Grandorder Afrosoricida
          • Order Afrosoricida, tenrecs and golden moles
          • Order Macroscelidea, elephant shrews
          • Order Tubulidentata, aardvark
        • Grandorder Paenungulata
          • Order Hyracoidea, hyraxes
          • Mirorder Tethytheria
            • Order Proboscidea, elephants
            • Order Sirenia, manatees and dugongs
      • Superorder Xenarthra
        • Order Cingulata, armadillos
        • Order Pilosa, sloths and anteaters
    • Magnorder Boreoeutheria
      • Superorder Laurasiatheria
        • Order Eulipotyphla, hedgehogs, shrews, moles
        • Grandorder Ferungulata
          • Order Cetartiodactyla, cetaceans and even-toed ungulates
          • Clade Pegasoferae
            • Order Chiroptera, bats
            • Mirorder Zooamata
              • Order Perissodactyla, odd-toed ungulates; horses, rhinos, tapirs
              • Clade Ferae
                • Order Pholidota, pangolins
                • Order Carnivora, carnivores; cats, dogs, bears, seals, sea lions and others
                • Order †Creodonta hyaenodontidae hyeanodon, dissopsalis, sarkastostodon, and megistotherium.
      • Superorder Euarchontoglires
        • Grandorder Euarchonta
          • Mirorder Sundatheria
            • Order Dermoptera, colugos
            • Order Scandentia, treeshrews
          • Mirorder Primatomorpha
            • Order Primates, lemurs, monkeys, apes and allies
        • Grandorder Glires
          • Order Rodentia, rodents
          • Order Lagomorpha, rabbits, hares and pikas

See also

• List of animal classes