Acanthuroidei /əˌkænθəˈrɔɪdiːaɪ/, is a group of ray finned fishes which is a suborder of the Acanthuriformes, although it was regarded as a suborder of the Perciformes, the largest order of fish, in older classifications.[2] The suborder includes the surgeonfish and Moorish idol. Members of this suborder have a compressed body covered with small ctenoid scales. The name for the suborder comes from that of the surgeonfish (Acanthuridae) family within it, and is derived from the Greek words akantha and oura, which loosely translate to "thorn" and "tail", respectively, referring to the "scalpels" found on surgeonfishes' caudal peduncle.[3]
| Acanthuroidei | |
|---|---|
| |
| Powderblue surgeonfish Acanthus leucosternon | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Acanthuriformes |
| Suborder: | Acanthuroidei Greenwood et al, 1966[1] |
| Families | |
|
see text | |
| Diversity | |
| 19 genera | |
Acanthuroidei contains the following families:[2]
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