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Salmoniformes (, lit. "salmon-shaped") is an order of Actinopterygii native to the temperate and subarctic Northern Hemisphere. It contains two suborders: Salmonoidei (containing only the Salmonidae) and Esocoidei (containing pikes and mudminnows). In addition, potential fossil members of the group, dating back to the Late Cretaceous, are also known from Europe and Africa. Both large-sized members of this order (Salmonidae and Esocidae) are important food and Game fish of the Northern Hemisphere.
The following classification is based on Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes:
The following fossil taxa are also considered much more basal members of this order:
Indeterminate potential salmoniform remains are known from Santonian-aged freshwater deposits of Hungary.
In the past, other euteleost fish such as the Osmeriformes or Platytroctidae were also placed within this order, but such a placement is now known to be inaccurate. Phylogenetic studies generally recover either the Argentiniformes or the Galaxiiformes as the closest relatives of the Salmoniformes.
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