The 5th edition of
Fishes of the World classifies the Otocephala as a cohort and subdivides it above the level of order as set out below, the classification of extant taxa from the level of order and below follows ''
Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes'': • Cohort Otocephala • Superorder
Clupeomorpha Greenwood
et al. 1966 • Order
Ellimmichthyiformes Grande, 1982 • Order
Clupeiformes Goodrich, 1909 • Superorder
Alepocephali Betancur-R,
et al., 2017 • Order
Alepocephaliformes N. B. Marshall, 1962 • Superorder
Ostariophysi M. Sagemehl, 1885 • Series
Anotophysi Rosen and
Greenwood, 1970 • Order
Gonorynchiformes Greenwood, Rosen,
Weitzman, and
Myers, 1966 • Series
Otophysi Garstang, 1931 • Order
Cypriniformes Goodrich, 1909 • Order
Gymnotiformes Regan, 1912 • Order
Characiformes Regan, 1911 • Order
Siluriformes Hay, 1929 Taxonomy based on: •
Cohort Otocephala Johnson & Patterson 1996 [Otomorpha Wiley & Johnson 2010; Ostarioclupeomorpha Arratia 1997] • Genus †
Kermichthys Taverne 1993 • Family †
Lycoclupeidae Gowda 1968 • Family †
Clupavidae Bertin & Arambourg 1958 •
Subcohort Clupei Wiley & Johnson 2010 [Clupeomorpha Greenwood et al. 1966] • Order †
Ellimmichthyiformes Grande 1982 • Order
Clupeiformes Goodrich 1859 •
Subcohort Alepocephali • Order
Alepocephaliformes Marshall 1962 •
Subcohort Ostariophysi Sagemehl 1885 • Genus †
Tischlingerichthys Arratia 1997 • Family †
Ancylostylidae Jordan 1923 • Family †
Erythrinolepididae Cockerell 1919 corrig. •
Section Anotophysa (Rosen & Greenwood 1970) Sagemehl 1885 [Anotophysi Rosen & Greenwood 1970] • Order †
Sorbininardiformes Taverne 1999 • Order
Gonorynchiformes Regan 1909 •
Section Otophysa (Rosen & Greenwood 1970) Sagemehl 1885 [Otophysi Rosen & Greenwood 1970] • Genus †
Nardonoides Mayrinck, Brito & Otero, 2014 • Family †
Acronichthyidae Liu
et al., 2025 • Family †
Chanoididae Taverne 2005 • Family †
Salminopsidae Gayet 1985 •
Superorder Cypriniphysae [Cypriniphysi Woodward 1901] • Order
Cypriniformes Bleeker 1859 sensu Goodrich 1909 •
Superorder Characiphysae (Fink & Fink 1981) • Order
Characiformes Goodrich 1909 •
Superorder Siluriphysae [Siluriphysi] • Order
Gymnotiformes Berg 1940 (Neotropical knifefishes) • Order
Siluriformes Cuvier 1817 sensu Hay 1929 (catfishes) ==Phylogeny==