| Gasterosteiforms |
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Suborder Gasterosteoidei
Hypoptychidae (sand Eel)
Aulorhynchidae (tubesnouts)
Gasterosteidae (sticklebacks)
Suborder Syngnathoidei
Infraorder Syngnatha
Superfamily Pegasoidea
Pegasidae (seamoths )
Superfamily Syngnathoidea
Solenostomidae (ghost pipefishes )
Syngnathidae (pipefishes and seahorses)
Infraorder Indostomoida
Indostomidae
Infraorder Aulostomoida
Superfamily Aulostomoidea
Aulostomidae (trumpetfishes )
Fistulariidae (cornetfishes )
Superfamily Centriscoidea
Macroramphosidae (snipefishes )
Centriscidae (shrimpfishes )
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Gasterosteiformes is an order of ray-finned fishes that includes a number of familiar types, including the sticklebacks, pipefishes , and seahorses. There are about 260 species in 11 families.
In the gasterosteiforms, the Pelvis is never attached to the cleithra directly, and the supramaxillary , orbitosphenoid , and basisphenoid bones are absent. The body is often partly or completely covered with dermal plates .
The two suborders Gasterosteoidei and Syngnathoidei have also been ranked as two closely-related orders.
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