The phylogenetic relationship of sparid fishes is studied, and the history of the classification studies including previous work on neurocranium of the family is reviewed. Most species of the family Sparidae are important food fishes, and form a significant part of the by-catch of commercial trawlers fishing on the continental shelf near the China coast. Ten species belonging to eight genera in the family (Monotaxis grandoculis, Rhabdosargus sarba, Sparus macrocephalus, S. latus, S. berda, Evynnis japonicus, Parargyrops edita, Taius tumifrons, Argyrops bleekeri, and Pagrosomus major) are discribed in the present study.