Cypriniformes

Lore & Background

Cypriniformes possess a Weberian apparatus, like other Ostariophysi, but differ from most relatives in having only a dorsal fin (no adipose fin). They have a unique kinethmoid bone in the snout and lack teeth in the mouth, instead possessing pharyngeal teeth that grind against a chewing pad on the base of the skull. The most notable family is Cyprinidae (carps and minnows), which makes up two-thirds of the order's diversity and is widely distributed across Eurasia, North America, and Africa. Most species are strictly freshwater, but some inhabit brackish water, and at least one species, the Pacific redfin, is found in saltwater; brackish and marine cyprinids are invariably anadromous.

Reader's Guide

They include the family Cyprinidae, one of the largest fish families, which comprises carps and minnows. Until 2025, no cypriniform fossils predating the Cenozoic were known; that year, remains from the early Maastrichtian (71–69 million years ago) were identified in Alaska, suggesting a possible high-latitude origin. The order's systematics remain debated, with some authorities recognizing up to 23 families and ongoing uncertainty about phylogenetic relationships among major lineages.

Did You Know?

• Cypriniformes lack teeth in the mouth but have pharyngeal teeth in the throat that grind against a chewing pad on the base of the skull.
• At least one cypriniform species, the Pacific redfin, is found in saltwater; all brackish and marine cyprinids are anadromous.
• Until 2025, no cypriniform fossil remains were known predating the Cenozoic; that year, remains from the early Maastrichtian (71–69 million years ago) were identified in Alaska.