5 S' ' '. 



(Auchenipterus and Epapterus) and the Trachycorystidae (nine genera). He placed 

 Tetranematichthys in the Ageneiosidae. Miranda-Ribeiro's classification was 

 adopted by Ihering (1937), who separated the genera traditionally placed in the 

 Auchenipteridae on the basis of presumed differences in reproduction. However, as 

 noted by Ferraris (1988), this classification did not constitute a natural division, 

 based on more recent information concerning the distribution of reproductive 

 character states. .• 



GosUne (1945) recognized only two families of doradoids, the Ageneiosidae 

 and Doradidae. He placed 16 genera, including Tetranematichthys, in the subfamily 

 Auchenipterinae of the Doradidae. Gosline (1945) included ov\y Ageneiosus and 

 Tympanopleura as valid genera within the Ageneiosidae, and he placed other 

 nominal genera (e.g., Pseudageneiosus) in the synonymy of the type genus. Gosline's 

 inclusion of the auchenipterines in the Doradidae was based on his earlier 

 comments (1942) regarding the presumed intermediacy oiLiosomadoras, as 

 discussed by Britski (1972), Mees (1974), and Ferraris (1988). 



Fowler (1951) gave family rank to all three doradoid groups, although he 

 included Tetranematichthys in the Auchenipteridae; he recognized oiAy Ageneiosus 

 and Tympanopleura within the Ageneiosidae. 



Miranda-Ribeiro (1968b) proposed a drastic rearrangement of previous 

 classifications by placing the various ageneiosid and auchenipterid genera into five 

 families. Ageneiosus and Tympanopleura were placed in the Ageneiosidae, whereas 

 Tetranematichthys was placed in the reelevated family Trachycoristidae. Miranda- 

 Ribeiro's (1968b) classification primarily involved a reinterpretation of relationships 

 among the auchenipterids, based on sexually dimorphic characters. However, it is 

 believed that the unavailability of adequate material of sexually dimorphic 

 specimens of some taxa led Miranda-Ribeiro to unite certain genera that are not 

 intimately related (Ferraris 1988). 



