Gadiformes - Cods

Morphological characteristics:

• Pelvic fins, when present, inserted below or in front of pectorals (thoracic or jugular, rarely behind in Macrouridae) with up to 11 rays;
• no true spines in the fins;
• most with long dorsal and anal fins;
• scales usually cycloid, rarely ctenoid;
• premaxilla forms the entire margin of the upper jaw, protractile in some;
• ectopterygoid toothless;
• orbitosphenoid and basisphenoid absent;
• branchiostegal rays 6–8;
• posterior vertebral reduction results in posterior dorsal and anal pterygiophores exceeding the number of caudal vertebrae;
• swim bladder without pneumatic duct (the swim bladder is absent in Melanonus and Squalogadus).

Gadiforms have a relatively unique otolith, although the otolith in Phycidae is different and more specialized.