470 



ONTOGENY AND SYSTEMATICS OF FISHES-AHLSTROM SYMPOSIUM 



Fig. 257. (A) Epigonidae—Sphyraenops bairdianus. 6.8 mm SL; (B) EpxgomAae—Epigonus sp., 14.0 mm SL; (C) Howella sp., 6.0 mm SL; 

 (D) \po%.on\dne — Pseudamia sp. or Pseudamiops sp., 8.7 mm SL, from Leis and Rennis (1983); (E) Apogonidae — foa brachvgrainma. 4.2 mm 

 SL, from Miller et al. (1979); (F) Apogonidae — unidentified, 4.2 mm SL, from Leis and Rennis (1983); (G) Apogonidae— unidentified, 5.0 mm 

 SL, from Leis and Rennis (1983); (H) Sciaenidae— 5rW///er tanceotalus. 6.2 mm SL, from Powles (1980). 



the asymmetrical nasal ro^eXXe oi Bostockia. Nannoperca. Edelia 

 and Nannalherina and all reductive specializations of those gen- 

 era noted above, except the reduced lateral line and branchio- 

 stegal number. Specializations shared with Bostockia alone in- 

 clude a tubular anterior nostril placed near the margin of the 

 lip and absences of the basisphenoid, medial tabular, and third 

 epural. Based on this evidence, Gadopsis appears to be most 

 closely related to Bostockia, however it bears a strong superficial 

 resemblance to Macullochella and shares the premaxillary fre- 

 num of that genus. 



Adult Morphology 



The scope of morphological diversity exhibited within the 

 Percoidei surpasses that of all other perciform suborders. Al- 

 though many percoids have a generalized bass-like or perch- 

 like physiognomy, extremes of adult body form range from deep 



bodied, compressed or "slabsided" fishes, such as the ephip- 

 pidids, chaetodontids and menids to extremely elongate forms 

 like the cepolids and the eel-like congrogadids. Add to this the 

 exceptional variability in fin conformation, ornamentation of 

 head bones, squamation. jaw configuration, and internal osteo- 

 logical features, and the suborder Percoidei presents an im- 

 pressive heterogeneous array of forms. Lack of progress in elu- 

 cidating percoid phylogeny is largely attributable to this 

 somewhat overwhelming diversity and the ostensible conver- 

 gence (particularly in reductive traits) that seems to have char- 

 acterized percoid evolution. To date, no familial phylogeny, 

 cladistic or otherwise, has been proposed for the suborder. The 

 limits and monophyly of many of the component families are 

 not clearly defined and the affinities of numerous genera remain 

 unresolved. Superficial knowledge of basic percoid anatomy and 

 an inadequate understanding of character distribution and vari- 



