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Phylogenetic relationships of fossil and Recent gonorynchiform fishes (Teleostei: Ostariophysi)

1999; Oxford University Press; Volume: 125; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1111/j.1096-3642.1999.tb00591.x

1096-3642

Terry Grande, Francisco José Poyato-Ariza,

Ichthyology and Marine Biology

This paper represents the first cladistic analysis of the interrelationships of all nominal fossil and living gonorynchiform genera. Gonorynchiformes is the basal group of the superorder Ostariophysi, and is confirmed as monophyletic on the basis of 12 synapomorphies. The Gonorynchiformes is be subdivided into two monophyletic suborders, Chanoidei and Gonorynchoidei. The Chanoidei includes the family Chanidae, which in turn includes the Recent Chanos plus five fossil genera, grouped in two subfamilies: Chaninae ((Chanos+† Tharrhiai) +†Parachanos +†Dastilbe) and †Rubiesichthyinae (†Rubiesichthys+†Gordichthys). †Aethalionopsis is the sister-group to the Chanidae. Gonorynchoidei includes two families Gonorynchidae and Kneriidae. Gonorynchidae is formed by (Gonorynchus,†Notogoneus) and four fossil taxa of uncertain definition and interrelationships: †Charitosomus,†Charitopsis,†Ramallichthys, and †fudeichthys. The last four genera were previously included in the families †Charitosomidae and †Judeichthyidae, which could not be supported as monophyletic in this analysis. Kneriidae consists of two subfamilies Phractolaeminae with one genus Phractolaemus, and Kneriinae which includes ((Kneria + Parakneria) + (Grasseichthys + Cromeria)), the latter two being paedomorphic forms. The Phractolaeminae and the Kneriinae are freshwater African taxa with no known fossil record. The order Gonorynchiformes is represented herein by 18 genera, extending back to the Early Cretaceous. More work is required to clarify the interrelationships of the Gonorynchidae and the paedomorphic characters that apparently played an important role in the evolution of this morphologically diverse group of fishes.