Xianming Li¹ , Lingfei Jin²

1 Aquatic Biology Research Center, Cuixi Academy of Biotechnology, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China
2 Institute of Life Science, Jiyang College of Zhejiang A&F University, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China
Author    Correspondence author
International Journal of Aquaculture, 2025, Vol. 15, No. 5   doi: 10.5376/ija.2025.15.0025
Received: 20 Aug., 2025    Accepted: 10 Oct., 2025    Published: 25 Oct., 2025

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Li X.M., and Jin L.F., 2025, Evolutionary pathways of fishes: insights from fossil records and molecular phylogenetics, International Journal of Aquaculture, 15(5): 255-265 (doi: 10.5376/ija.2025.15.0025)

Fish, as the oldest and diverse group of vertebrates, play an important role in the history of biological evolution. This study summarizes the main stages and characteristics of fish evolution pathways, focusing on combining fossil record with molecular phylogenetic research to reveal the evolution of fish from early jawless fish to modern diversified taxa. We reviewed the important discoveries of early jawless fish fossils and the outbreak of fish diversity during the Silurian and Devonian periods; explored the profound impact of the origin of the jaw on predation strategies, as well as the early differentiation of boneless and cartilage fish in the Paleozoic era. Analysis of morphological characteristics and molecular phylogenetic evidence of radial fin fish. Based on the latest molecular phylogenetic research, we reconstructed the evolutionary relationships of important fish populations and conducted case analysis in combination with key evolutionary events. Finally, we emphasize the importance of combining fossil evidence with molecular clock calibration, and combining fossil and molecular insights can help deepen our understanding of the origins and adaptive evolution mechanisms of fish biodiversity.

Fish evolution; Fossil record; Molecular phylogenetic; Origin of jaw; Adaptive radiation