Neopterygii

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Neopterygii
Temporal range: Late Permian – Recent
Lepisosteus oculatus.jpg
Gar fish
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
(unranked): Actinopteri
Subclass: Neopterygii
Infraclasses

Holostei
Teleostei
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Neopterygii is a group of fish. Neopterygii means "new fins".

There are only few changes during their evolution from the earlier actinopterygians. They appeared somewhere in the Late Permian, before the time of the dinosaurs. The Neopterygii is a very successful group of fishes, because they can move more rapidly than their ancestors. Their scales and skeletons began to lighten during their evolution, and their jaws became more powerful and efficient.

The following diagram explains their relationship to the teleosts. Almost all modern fish are teleosts.

Neopterygii
Holostei

Ginglymodi (gars and their fossil relatives) Alligator gar fish (white background).jpg



Halecomorphi (bowfin and its fossil relatives) Amia calva (white background).jpg




Teleostei Common carp (white background).jpg