| Whalefishes | |
|---|---|
| |
| Barbourisia rufa | |
Scientific classification  (disputed) | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Superorder: | Acanthopterygii |
| Order: | Cetomimiformes |
| Families | |
The Cetomimiformes or whalefishes are an order of small, deep-sea ray-finned fish. Some authorities[1] include the whalefishes as part of the order Stephanoberyciformes, within the superfamily Cetomimoidea. Their sister order, the Beryciformes, includes the flashlight fish and squirrelfish.
Within this group are five families and approximately 18 genera and 32 species (but see below). Thought to have a circumglobal distribution throughout the tropical and temperate latitudes, whalefishes have been recorded at depths in excess of 3,500 metres.
- ^ E.g. Nelson (2006)