Pescidae

Pescidae is a taxonomic name that appears in speculative biology and various fictional settings to denote a family of fishes. It is not recognized by major taxonomic databases such as the World Register of Marine Species or FishBase, and there is no consensus on its circumscription in real-world ichthyology.

The name is formed using the standard zoological suffix -idae and the root pisc- from Latin piscis, meaning fish. In many hypothetical treatments, Pescidae is described as a broadly distributed lineage with both freshwater and marine representatives, occupying a range of ecological niches.

In these fictional or hypothetical accounts, members of Pescidae are portrayed as moderately small to medium-sized fishes with diverse ecological roles, from open-water planktivores to benthic predators. Typical morphology in such treatments includes a streamlined body and a varied coloration pattern used for camouflage or signaling, with reproduction commonly described as external fertilization and free-swimming larvae; some authors imagine parental care in certain subgroups.

Because Pescidae lacks formal recognition, its classification varies among authors. It is sometimes positioned near other fish families in speculative phylogenies, or treated as a placeholder awaiting formal description. Real-world discussions of Pescidae thus serve primarily as a narrative or educational device rather than as a sanctioned taxonomic unit.