The Beryciformes /ˈbɛrɪsɪfɔːrmiːz/ are a poorly-understood order of carnivorous ray-finned fishes consisting of 7 families, 30 genera, and 161 species.

[4] Some species move closer to the surface at night,[5] while others live entirely in shallow water and are nocturnal, hiding in rock crevices and caves during the day.

Some species have bioluminescent bacteria contained in pockets of skin or in light organs near the eyes, including the anomalopids and monocentrids.

Polymixiiformes (beardfishes) Melamphaidae (ridgeheads or bigscales) Berycidae (alfonsinos and nannygais) Cetomimidae (flabby whalefishes) Rondeletiidae (redmouth whalefishes) Barbourisiidae (velvet whalefish) Stephanoberycidae (pricklefishes) Diretmidae (spinyfins) Monocentridae (pinecone fishes) Anomalopidae (lanterneye or flashlight fishes) Trachichthyidae (slimeheads, roughies or redfish) Holocentridae (squirrelfishes and soldierfishes) Percomorpha (perches and allies) The order contains 7 families, 30 genera, and 161 species:[2] The Beryciformes are generally not important to humans, and their trend towards living in deeper waters generally keeps many species away from human activity.

Increased catches could lead to steep population declines for these species as their extended lifespans make them vulnerable to overfishing.

[7][8] Despite these risks, most of the species that have been evaluated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) are listed as Least Concern or Data Deficient; only a few are classified as Vulnerable.