Taxonomy
O
Order
/ /ˈɔːdə/ /
Etymology:
From Latin ordo — "rank, arrangement"
Quick Definition
A taxonomic rank above family and below class, grouping related families of organisms.
📖 Full Definition
An order is the taxonomic rank between class and family. Animal order names are not standardised by suffix in the same way as families. Fish orders are recognised by major shared characteristics: Salmoniformes (salmon and their relatives); Perciformes (perch-like fishes, the largest vertebrate order); Tetraodontiformes (pufferfish, triggerfish); Clupeiformes (herrings, anchovies). Nelson's "Fishes of the World" (5th edition) recognises 64 orders of living fishes.
💡 Examples & Context
The order Perciformes traditionally grouped over 40% of all fish species, though modern molecular phylogenetics has caused this "wastebasket" order to be split into many separate orders.