Cobitoidea
Sign in to saveAlso known as Loach
Loaches are ray-finned fishes of the suborder Cobitoidei. They are freshwater, benthic (bottom-dwelling) fish found in rivers and creeks throughout Eurasia and northern Africa. Loaches are among the most diverse groups of fish; the 1249 known species of Cobitoidei make up about 107 genera divided among 9 families.
~6 min read
Encyclopedic overview
10 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Description
- Taxonomy
- Classification
- History of classification
- Phylogeny
- Osteology
- Habitat and distribution
- Relationship with humans
- References
Loaches are ray-finned fishes of the suborder Cobitoidei. They are freshwater, benthic (bottom-dwelling) fish found in rivers and creeks throughout Eurasia and northern Africa. Loaches are among the most diverse groups of fish; the 1249 known species of Cobitoidei make up about 107 genera divided among 9 families.
== Etymology == The name Cobitoidei comes from the type genus, Cobitis, described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. However, its origin predates modern zoological nomenclature and derives from a term used by Aristotle to refer to "small fishes that bury... like the gudgeon."
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Cobitoidea” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.