Actinopterygii

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Ray-finned fish
Fossil range: Latest Silurian–Recent
Atlantic herring
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Superclass: Osteichthyes
Class: Actinopterygii
Klein, 1885
Subclasses

Chondrostei
Neopterygii
See text for orders.

The Actinopterygii (the plural form of Actinopterygius) is a taxonomical class of animals. The animals in this class are the ray-finned fishes.

The ray-finned fishes get their name from the fact that they have lepidotrichia or "fin rays". Their fins are webs of skin held by bony or horny spines ("rays"). This is different from the fleshy fins of the fish in the order Sarcopterygii.

Actinopterygians are the largest class of vertebrates. There are nearly 30,000 species. They can be found in both fresh water and marine environments from the deep sea to the highest mountain streams.

[change] Taxonomy

CLASS ACTINOPTERYGII

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