Actinopterygii

Ray-finned fish Temporal range: Late Silurian - recent PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
Rose fish
Scientific classification
Kinrick:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Supercless:	Osteichthyes
Cless:	Actinopterygii Klein,1885
Subclasses
Chondrostei Neopterygii

The Actinopterygii /ˌæktᵻnˌɒptəˈrɪdʒi.aɪ/, or ray-finned fishes, constitute a class or subclass o the bony fishes.

The ray-finned fishes are so cried acause thay possess lepidotrichia or "fin rays", thair fins being webs o skin supportit bi bony or horny spines ("rays"), as opponed tae the fleshy, lobed fins that characterize the class Sarcopterygii which an aa, however, possess lepidotrichia. These actinopterygian fin rays attach directly tae the proximal or basal skeletal elements, the radials, which represent the link or connection atween these fins an the internal skelet (e.g., pelvic an pectoral girdles).

In terms o nummers, actinopterygians are the dominant class o vertebrates, comprisin nearly 99% o the ower 30,000 species o fish (Davis, Brian 2010). Thay are ubiquitous throughoot freshwatter an marine environments frae the deep sea tae the heichest muntain streams. Extant species can range in size frae Paedocypris, at 8 mm (0.3 in), tae the massive ocean sunfish, at 2,300 kg (5,070 lb), an the lang-bodied oarfish, at 11 m (36 ft).

Freemit airtins

• Actinopterygii at the Encyclopedia o Life
• Actinopterygii at UntamedScience.com Archived 2010-11-25 at the Wayback Machine
• Jonna, R. (2004) Actinopterygii Archived 2013-09-07 at the Wayback Machine Ainimal Diversity Wab. Updatit 29 August 2006. Accessed 2 Februar 2013.