Taxonomy
C
Class
/ /klɑːs/ /
Etymology:
From Latin classis — "division, fleet"
Quick Definition
A major taxonomic rank above order; fish belong primarily to Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) or Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fishes).
📖 Full Definition
Class is the taxonomic rank between order and phylum. The major fish classes are: Actinopterygii (ray-finned bony fishes — 99% of all fish species), Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned bony fishes — coelacanths, lungfishes), Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fishes — sharks, rays, chimaeras), Actinistia (coelacanths, sometimes included in Sarcopterygii), Myxini (hagfishes), and Petromyzontida (lampreys). Together these groups make fish the most diverse vertebrate class.
💡 Examples & Context
Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) belongs to Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes).