FINK: BASAL EUTELEOSTS 



203 



ESOCAE 



OSTARIOPHYSI 



ARGENTINOIDEI 



OSMEROIDEI 



NEOTELEOSTEI 



SALMONIDAE 



STOMIIFORMES 



AULOPIFORMES 



MYCTOPHIFORMES 



ACANTHOMORPHA 



Fig. 106. The hypothesis of relationships suggested by Fink and 

 Weitzman ( 1 982) for the basal euteleosts. 



eses and data are included in Fig. 107 and its caption. The data 

 used in this analysis were chosen partly because they have been 

 used traditionally in osmeroid systematics but I have little con- 

 fidence in some of them; as a result this analysis represents a 

 preliminary sketch of a more detailed study. 



The most striking thing about osmeroid systematics is that 

 we still have questions about some very basic things, such as 

 the status of the Osmeridae. As noted by Nelson (1970) and 

 Rosen (1974), no evidence has ever been presented that the 

 family is a monophyletic group. Indeed, it seems quite possible 

 that Plecoglossus could be more closely related to some "os- 

 merids" than to others, and this would render the family para- 

 phyletic. A minimal requirement of any future work on system- 

 atics of the group should be documentation of whether it is 

 natural. 



Fig. 107. Alternate cladograms of relationships within the Osme- 

 roidei. The bottom figure represents the hypothesis supported when all 

 characters are given equal weight and paedomorphic traits are consid- 

 ered homologous. The top figure represents the hypothesis which con- 

 siders the paedomorphic reductive traits of salangids and galaxiids as 

 non-homologous. For discussion, see text. 



The supporting characters are listed below, with the derived condition 

 indicated by a 1 , the primitive by a 0. Each character number is indicated 

 on the cladogram where it is in the derived state. Dark squares indicate 

 unique appearance of a trait; empty squares indicate multiple appear- 



18-20 



6ALAXIIDAE 



lovettia 



Aplochiton 



Retropinna 



Stokellia 



Prototroctes 



SALANGIDAE 



Plecoglossus 

 "OSMERIDAE" 



2>29 -J-.GALAXIIDAE 



lovettia 



'Aplochiton 



■SALANGIDAE 



-Retropinna 



•Stokellia 



Prototroctes 



Plecoglossus 



'OSMERIDAE" 



ance of a trait; triangles indicate a trait that is reversed at a lower level 

 of generality; and circles indicate those characters in the reversed state. 

 1 . Posterior shaft of vomer (0) long ( 1 ) shori. 2. Articular bone (0) 

 present and fused with angular (1) absent or greatly reduced. 3. Meso- 

 pterygoid teeth (0) over much of bone ventral surface (1) restricted to 

 medial border of ventral surface or lacking. 4. Pelvic foramen (0) absent 

 ( 1 ) present. 5. Anchor membrane of egg (0) absent ( 1 ) present. 6. Caudal 

 skeleton fusion patterns (0) none or rudimentary neural arches fusing 

 with centrum and then, if at all, to the uroneural ( 1 ) rudimentary neural 

 arch fusing with uroneural first, then these to the centrum. 7. Infraorbital 

 sensory canals (0) curved posterodorsally ( 1 ) curved posteroventrally. 

 8. Mesocoracoid (0) present ( 1 ) absent. 9. Dorsal fin position (0) forward 

 (1) posterior. 10. Principal caudal fin rays (0) 10/9(1) 9/9 or fewer. 1 1. 

 Palatine teeth (0) present (1) absent. 12. Ectopterygoid bone (0) present 

 ( 1 ) absent. 1 3. Extrascapular (0) present ( I ) absent. 14. Coracoid-cleith- 

 rum process (0) present (1) absent. 15. Posterior pubic symphysis (0) 

 present ( 1 ) absent. 1 6. Scales (0) present ( 1 ) absent. 1 7. Vomerine teeth 

 (0) present (1) absent. 18. Posterior border of bones of suspensorium 

 (0) smooth (1) deeply incised or emarginate. 19. Principal caudal fin 

 rays (0) 9/9(1) 8/8. 20. Hypural number (0) 6 (1) 5. 21. Infraorbital 

 sensory canals (0) not extending to preopercle (1) extending to pre- 

 opercle. 22. Ceratohyal ventral border (0) more or less straight, bran- 

 chiostegals along most of its length ( 1 ) deeply concave anterioriy, bran- 

 chiostegals restricted to area posterior to concavity. 23. Homy abdominal 

 keel (0) not present ( 1 ) present. 24. Ovaries (0) both present ( 1 ) left only. 



25. Ectopterygoid bone (0) posterior to autopalatine (1) ventral to au- 

 topalatine (coded as present in Stokellia based on McDowall, 1969). 



26. Cucumber odor (0) absent (1) present. 27. Basioccipital lateral pegs 



(0) none (1) present. 28. Lateral hyomandibular spur (0) not present (1) 

 present. 29. Caudal fin posterior border (0) deeply forked (1) rounded 

 or emarginate. 30. Adipose fin (0) present ( 1 ) absent. 3 1 . Mesopterygoid 

 teeth (see also Character 3) (0) restricted to ventromedial area of bone 



( 1 ) absent. 



