User:Luxquine/sandbox/Esociformes Wiki Page Draft

Luxquine/sandbox/Esociformes Wiki Page Draft
	Northern pike (Esox lucius)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Superorder:	Protacanthopterygii
Order:	Esociformes; Bleeker, 1859
Families
	Esocidae G. Cuvier, 1817; Umbridae Bonaparte, 1845;
Synonyms
	Esocoidei Bleeker, 1859; Haplomi; Esocae; Umbriformes Günther, 1866;

The Esociformes /ˈiːsɒsɪfɔːrmiːz/ are a small order of ray-finned fish, with two families, Umbridae and Esocidae. The pikes of genus Esox give the order its name.

This order is closely related to the

Euteleost radiation of that time. Today, they are found in weed-choked freshwater habitats in North America and northern Eurasia

.

Esocidae

The three extant esocid genera (Esox, Novumbra, and Dallia) together comprise a holarctic distribution. Two additional genera have been described from fossils dating to the Cretaceous of North America.

Umbridae

Umbra remains the only extant species in this family, and can be found in eastern North America and Europe. Three additional genera have been described from fossils dating from the Paleocene of Europe; however, genetic studies on the extant species of Umbra have recovered a split between the North American and European species dating to the Late Cretaceous and earliest half of the Paleogene.^[1]

Relationships

While the family Esocidae traditionally only contained the genus Esox, recent genetic and paleontological research have recovered Novumbra and Dallia as members of the family Esocidae, being closer related to Esox than Umbra. Umbra is the only remaining extant species in Umbridae.^[1] Various fossils have been described as members of Esociformes and are placed on the following tree accordingly.

Esociformes

Esocidae