Britannica Sources used in this answer

When did perciform fishes first appear in the fossil record?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Bluefin tuna swimming underwater in a group, with silvery bodies and streamlined shapes, near Japan. — perciform Bluefin tuna (*Thunnus thynnus orientalis*) in the waters near Japan.

Fossil remains of perciform fishes first appear in the fossil record from the Upper Cretaceous System, which dates to approximately 100 million to 65.5 million years ago.1