Temporal range: Early Cretaceous to present
TaxonomyCichliformes were previously classified under the order
Perciformes. Now many authorities consider it to be an independent order within the subseries
Ovalentaria. Molecular data which placed the two seemingly dissimilar families, Pholidichthyidae and
Cichlidae in the same taxon.
Families • Pholidichthyidae: Convict blennies, 1 genus, 2 species.
•
Cichlidae: Cichlids; 202 genera, 1700 species.